This hillside property provided the opportunity to create a magnificent landscape setting for the revamped house.  Working in collaboration with Dalman Architecture and Eliot Sinclair and Partners, our role was to design and project manage the external components of the site works and landscape treatment including civil works and landscape elements such as swimming pool, driveway, stonework, services installation, earthworks, hard and soft landscape treatments and planting.

A large underground water storage tank circulated stormwater a rocky water feature over stone spill plates, through gargoyles and down rills.  Bespoke steel/timber designs added individual touches to gates, swimming pool surrounds and decking.

Developed over time, this large garden embraced its art-deco heritage and built on its location by a stream with existing mature trees and shrubs.  The heavy soils allowed for Rhododendrons and other shade loving plants. Existing entry spaces and building surrounds benefitted from new paths and complementary planting to provide colour and year-round horticultural interest.  A garden cottage with raised vegetable gardens was built around existing trees to maintain privacy and the lushness of the site.

Garden pots, sculpture, clipped hedging and a water feature were incorporated as part of a new loggia space with reshaped lawn environment.

As part of the Resource Consent application to build a new office/carpark space on a narrow strip of land between the stream and the road we worked with Council and Engineers to enhance the stream environment and allow for flood water to run under a cantilevered platform.

This created opportunities to provide a new access to the house and an open area for sitting next to an existing springhead that occasionally added water to the stream.  Large rocks were placed to support the stream edge. Lush planting of native trees, shrubs and groundcovers screened the office from the house and added amenity value to the streetscape.

My first home/office garden was developed over time from a plan that allowed for indoor outdoor flow to a small lawn area separated from a vegetable garden, sandpit and clothesline with a simple climbing frame which massed with white flowering clematis in spring.  An existing carport area was smothered with white wisteria and honeysuckle and connected to the house deck area with an overhead shade sail. 

The driveway and entry area were welcoming with potted and herbaceous plant material which helped reduce maintenance. Privacy from the street was quick to establish and repetition of autumn flowering cherries along the driveway added to the warmth of the garden setting around this 1920’s transitional bungalow.

A quick and effective garden make-over was required pre-sale to spruce up some tired areas of the existing garden as well as soften hard-standing areas around the building including entry treatment.  A well-defined lawn shape has been created to improve aesthetic appeal.

Semi-mature white-barked birch trees were introduced to suit the damp ground conditions and provide scale and a more mature look.  Dark green Holy is used against the concrete block wall with silver Astelia as a foreground contrast. In other beds understorey plants were introduced to complement the existing material. Timber planter boxes with colourful annuals help soften the building and pool surrounds. 

The property was to be upgraded in stages to allow for liveability as work progressed in other areas.  The style was to fit in with the existing large brick house and allow for indoor/outdoor spaces to be created in a very private setting. These allowed for outdoor dining as well as relaxed areas for sitting in the shade looking over an easy-care garden.

An existing frontage area was enclosed and gated to improve security as well as introducing new planting areas, feature wall and potted plants. The rear of the site was developed with new brick walls, water feature, paving, shade sail, cube seats and planting. Further development included a large lawn area, swimming pool, garden house and play equipment.

Being keen gardeners, the owners wanted to see their new property designed to cater for a traditional layout with lots of horticultural diversity in plant material to give year-round colour and interest.

The planting adjacent to the street would provide screening and allow for placement of larger trees. The front door entry was more formal with clipped Holy standards. Pathways lined with box hedging and a good lawn shape set the framework for a range of shrub bed sizes. Beds have been planted to reflect various situations for sun or shade, and privacy.  Mass planting of groundcovers and mixed bulbs provide dramatic spring colour.