Showcase 7
The main objectives behind this design were to create a more intimate and secluded feeling throughout garden. The design involved adding more plants to provide more privacy, help to soften and to scale down the front of the house. The front garden was designed mainly using a native plants to introduce local birdlife into the garden and reduce the need for ongoing garden maintenance.
Within the front garden stepping stone recycled from the existing garden were used to connect the driveway to the side garden. To compliment this sense of movement, grasses such as Carex and Lomandra – with their swaying leaves – were mass-planted along the path edge. Plants such as the Grevillea ‘Orange Marmalade’ with its grey-silver foliage, provides a stunning contrast to greens found in the grasses. The grevillea also attracts birdlife as it display large bright orange flowers.
In the rear garden a selection of exotic woodland plants were selected to fill in and complement the garden spaces within the existing traditional Blue Mountains garden. The area already contained well developed Rhododendrons and Azaleas. The edges of the existing pathway were lined with woodland perennials and groundcovers such as Cyclamen coum.
A neglected path in the rear garden wanders up a steep incline to a weed infested hanging swamp. At the top however there is a view across the valley and with a few design elements, the area could become a tranquil area to sit and enjoy views of the restored garden. The original path was reconstructed to fit the style of the existing paths. Ironstone walls were built to retain area of the garden, whilst ironstone steps were constructed to help traverse the incline. The path and steps wind their way up over the hanging swamp to a sandstone flagging platform, large enough to place a bench seat.
The plants chosen for the garden areas around the hanging swamp were native grasses and perennials that could survive the occasional wetter periods. Such plants used were Dianella, Carex, Baeckia and Melaleuca.
The side garden was designed as a kitchen garden, which could be seen through the window of the kitchen and dining room. The client requested a formal garden space to sit and view the kitchen garden beds, therefore a clipped box hedge and water bowl was place on the level above the kitchen garden. A set of steps were constructed down the existing retaining wall to the kitchen for easier access to the formal seating area. The kitchen garden beds were constructed from railway sleepers which gives the area a rustic feel, providing an instant age to the garden.
