This eclectic garden designed around a beautiful concrete villa is a whimsical folly. It is the result of a collaboration between Robin Shafer and the owner who had a huge input into the design. Every inch of it is beautifully detailed in a unique, slightly European style, with strong New Zealand character coming through. Every corner offers a surprise. A swimming pool and spa are suspended above the garden which is encircled by native cabbage trees. Water cascades over the weir creating a grotto effect as a backdrop to the jewel-like lawn. Masonry arches re-created from the owner’s childhood memories of her grandfather’s garden create a romantic shelter for pool-side living, reinforcing the pervasive atmosphere of the East and ancient colonial influences. At the entrance, swirling koru-like patterns of mondo grass form an unusual parterre that hints at the excitement to be discovered within.