2022-23
2019-20
The existing garden was an overgrown, shady, pebbled courtyard, lacking structure, with low walls that offered no privacy from the neighbouring propertites.
The challenge was to create a usable space with lots of practical features while providing ample plantings that would create a respite from city life.
Evergreen grasses, ferns, and other strappy plantings provide a structured backdrop for colourful cottage style perennials. A large Amelanchier was located in the sunny corner to screen the neighbouring estate while also allowing for a shady nook in summer and beautiful seasonal highlights in spring and autumn.
Redwood slat fencing was erected on the boundary brick walls to provide privacy, but not completely cut the property off from the neighbours. The use of naturally finished timber on the fences as well as outdoor table and seating gives a warm, relaxed aesthetic that was contemporary and clean at the same time.
A geometric-style sculptural wall was employed to divide the nook from the rest of the garden, providing shelves for candle lighting and succulent plants. Wires running vertically on the wall and back to the brick wall at the rear of the property, will in time create a living pergola as the Muehlenbeckia complexa planted at the base climbs it’s way up and over.
2018-19
Our clients had just completed a stunning architectural home, perched on top of a hill, with commanding vistas across the Wellington harbour.
Sharing our love for wild New Zealand landscapes, they wanted a solution that would nestle the house into the surrounding environment, while standing up to the extreme wind conditions associated with the site.
Using a range of hardy native plants and raw materials, we created a dramatic composition of colour, texture, and movement.
2017-18
Sitting at the end of an unassuming gravel driveway, with captivating views out across the water to Kapiti Island our clients beautifully renovated property was in need of a garden that would do justice to the quality of construction while locating the property in the local coastal environment.
The challenge was to take what was a fairly large area, with extremely free draining sandy soil, completely overgrown with invasive weeds, and create a garden that was both stunning, practical, provided easy access to the beach, and would be easy to maintain in the long term. The majority of the site was an area of queens chain land leading to the foreshore which was ideally suited for the re-establishment of a native coastal biome.
A simple raised boardwalk was constructed to link the existing paths with the beach access point, with barked paths shooting off at two points providing an immersive walkway through the space and access to secluded seating and entertaining areas.
Planting patterns mimicked the natural seed dispersal of the species, with focal points created by interspersing a mixture of rarer species amongst the mass plantings, particularly along the ecotones. The result was a stunning dune landscape, capable of regenerating naturally, with an ever changing display of colours, textures, movement, and seasonal highlights.
Having sat undeveloped and unusable since the construction of the house 7 years earlier, this backyard was badly in need of a landscape solution that would allow our client and their family to use the space while also preventing erosion of the steep site.
With part of the earthworks already complete, but in a degraded state, the challenge was to design a solution that would create usable spaces on the steep site, while limiting the need for further earthworks. The result was a fairly extensive network of small retaining walls which would provide for small but well laid out and distinct spaces across multiple levels.
A spa was high on the priority list for our client and a proper garden hut and slide were a must for the kids. We were very pleased to make these a reality despite the challenge of finding a suitable spot that could support the weight of a spa, and the need to locate any children’s amenities in a manner that was accessible as well as safe.
Dense plantings of hardy natives that would be extremely low maintenance once established, were employed to further protect against erosion on the banks, while also providing an exciting mix of colours, textures, and seasonal highlights.
xfzs
Nestled into a rather steep hill side, with narrow outdoor spaces spread across multiple levels, the challenge was to find a solution that linked these seemingly separate areas, allowing the couple’s young daughters to play and explore the property unencumbered while also providing plenty of adult entertaining space and room for a productive garden.
Close attention was paid to the ecological impact of the project, with preference given to chemical free and recycled materials. We were lucky to have access to a large supply of beautifully weathered Totara fence battens, an extremely durable indigenous timber, that had recently been replaced on a local farm. The battens were employed to screen a large timber retaining wall along one side of the property, randomly placed planting pockets created a living wall effect. They also worked well as a unique ballustrade and front fence by threading onto steel reinforcing rods. Other materials included freshly milled Macrocarpa, a readily available exotic species, as well as recycled railway sleepers, boulders left over from site earthworks, locally quarried pebbles, and recycled composite decking.
Apart from the productive species, the planting scheme consisted entirely of eco sourced local natives that suited the coastal environment. The outcome was a dynamic garden providing habitat for native wildlife such as birds, reptiles and insects, while also creating a diverse seed resource for regenerating the surrounding hillsides.
