Maungawhau Garden
This project in Maungawhau involved Xanthe White Design Studio interacting with an existing garden which already had layers of history and a significant treescape. Rather than a top down design which imposed a new concept over the top, the fresh ideas were woven through the fabric of the existing garden, blurring the lines between old and new. A collaborative project between designers and owners, the concept acknowledges that a garden is never finished but more a continued dance between its makers and the elements'. The concept design added a glasshouse; activating an area with activity, creating a focus. The use of stone pavers through the old orchard, transforms an otherwise functional area into both a view and a place you wish to work. The concept explored the potential of the numerous old trees, allowing epiphytic plants to occupy their limbs, as well as thinning to allow light beneath so colour could be added for further pleasure. An ongoing restoration of a central city garden space, the owners of this beautiful garden have vowed to protect a significant grove of trees in the centre of the property, creating a reserve-like oasis at the heart of this urban environment.

Diversity has been at the heart of this restoration, with the garden hosting a diverse range of New Zealand native species as well as exotics linking to the colonial history of the house. We believe the rejuvenation of such spaces is essential in ensuring that they remain protected over time. As landscape designers we use aesthetics as a tool to preserve ecology. Valuing our natural environment is key to ensuring that these urban retreats remain in the public consciousness and are valued as part of our cultural landscape worthy of protection.

The Maungawhau Garden is a wonderful example of an established garden being given a new lease of life through interventions that are a marriage of the old and new, creating a timeless and dynamic space that will continue to evolve.