Trish started working with the owners of this property on their front and back garden design in December 2013. They had recently completely rebuilt their family home on the site and wanted to install a new garden suited to both the style of the house and their lifestyle. The old garden had a large paved area and lawn suitable for young children and now they were looking for a garden more suited to the needs of adults.

The owners loved looking after a garden but wanted it to be easy to maintain. They didn’t necessarily want any grass but they did request fewer hard surfaces; contours in planting, a hillock with layering and slopes; meandering rather than straight lines; linear with softness; a path to the park at the end of the section; modern products including wall colour; chunky materials;they liked natives but wanted different garden plants from those they had at the beach; a fire place – maybe in weathered steel; vegie gardens. As they were dog lovers, raised gardens were also proposed.

Overall concept at the front was to plant an avenue of Kowhai – still developing – overhanging and enclosing the space but using low ground covers to create a feeling of spaciousness beneath them. Some upright plantings to soften house and boundary. Fencing at the front to be more open to allow glimpses of the garden and a small planting on the street.

Overall concept for the back was to create a change in level from front to back garden using a boardwalk which led to the back deck, fireplace and seating area. Weathered steel (corten) – raised beds curved around the decking to create a flowing but structural form to the garden. Loose pebble paths and soft feathery plants to create softness in contrast to the hard surfaces. A feature wall of raw boxed concrete, weathered steel fireplace and chunky steel pergola to enclose the seating area and create a more intimate space.