This beautiful and functional garden has been built around the existing mature trees and shrubs and complements the federation brick home it surrounds. Diane has designed a contemporary and functional hard landscape for the front garden; formal in style, to complement the house. Sawn bluestone was chosen to match bluestone foundations and window sills on the house.
The major challenge of this project was the somewhat sandy soil which doesn’t retain water or nutrients very well. Additionally, a small slope meant valuable rainfall ran off the existing garden. Three garden levels were created across the site in order to retain more water. Low retaining walls were installed in the upper two levels to allow space for the addition of compost and manure to improve the soil plus mulch to retain the moisture.
While Japanese and Korean Boxprovide extra formality, the rest of the planting is soft and whimsical, using favourite shrubs and perennials. Plant diversity is an important feature of the garden, creating variation in texture, shape, colour and scent.
Roses are a personal favourite of the owner and were chosen for their exquisite scent and for colour. Standard Rosa ‘Seafoam’ links the pastel and hotter coloured roses and creates a sense of balance with the beautiful weeping Japanese Maple. Viburnum opulus ‘Notcutt’s Variety’ and Viburnum sargentii ‘Onondaga’ screen the south fence and the view is completed by an old Wisteria sinensis.
Roses and other shrubs are under planted with perennials and spring bulbs. Salvias were introduced in response to the long drought and include Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’, Salvia gregii ‘Raspberry Royal’, Salvia gregii ‘Heatwave Blaze’, Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ and Salvia nemorosa.
Camellia sasanqua ‘Asakura’ was selected to screen the driveway fence and complement the Camellia sasanqua ‘Beatrice Emily’ growing alongside the house.
The northern side of the house is shaded from the summer sun by lovely old English Oaks and a Chinese Elm. These are under-planted with shade-tolerant species including Camellia, Ruscus, Clivia, Ginger, Roldana Petasis and Hellebores.
