Flourishing flora

GARDEN

Textured plants are perfect for a hassle-free city garden that looks good year-round.

Flourishing flora by Diane Keenan

Tucked behind a large concrete fence in Holmwood Rd, Fendalton, Sandy and her husband have developed a small garden that is diverse, colourful and orderly, even on a grey Christchurch winter's day. 

"When the children were growing up, we lived on a 2.4-hectare property at Prebbleton, where we grew asparagus and the children had ponies. The garden was expansive and we would spend around four hours a week just mowing the lawns," Sandy says. 

"It was a wonderful way of life, but as the children grew older, I was continually driving in and out of town, so we decided to move into the city." 

It was a gentle transition. Their first city property was in Waiwetu St and also had a large, traditional high-maintenance garden.  

Five years ago, they decided to shift again.

"When this property came up for sale, it appealed because it is even closer to town and in walking distance of everything. The large double-storey, flat-roofed house was also large enough to be out of the 'town house' category and we liked that," Sandy says. 

When they took over, the property was totally overgrown, particularly the back garden, which Sandy says was a "jungle" hiding an old shed. 

"It was an old-style traditional garden and just didn't suit the house. We extended the house's living area into the back garden, so we had an even smaller area to work with." 

To provide the basis for good garden design, Sandy enlisted the help of Hamish Prebble, of Texture Plants, a Prebbleton-based nursery specialising in plants with interesting foliage, form and structure.  

"I was very clear about not wanting the type of garden that was all the rage at the time - buxus hedge borders and iceberg roses. Because our house was older and modernised, we needed a garden that was different," Sandy says.  

Work started at the front of the section. One of the first jobs was to realign the driveway and create a path from the street to the front door. The driveway is bordered with Astelia 'Red Devil' and a line of bronze foliaged natives. 

Neatly trimmed Ligustrum rotundifolium line both sides of the driveway and path, serving the same purpose as a buxus hedge, but with a different look. A head-high broadleaf hedge gives privacy to the front lawn, creating a garden area akin to another room opening out from the house.  

The couple inherited a "horrible mossy" front lawn, so the first step was to remove several large old trees blocking the sunlight. Smaller rhododendrons and camellias survived the cull and hostas were planted to add colour in the remaining shaded areas in summer.  

Although it's very orderly, Sandy still likes to pop little treasures into the borders, while her personal touch is also reflected in the tubs of bonsai plants that have shifted properties with her. 

Remnants of the farm garden appear out the back, where tubs of topiary buxus sit alongside the garage.  

A large rectangular fish pond joins on to the back deck.

"We were going to have a swimming pool, but with all the large trees in the area, we thought we would be forever cleaning it," Sandy says. 

The fish pond is easier to look after and a submerged water feature means the water is constantly moving, creating a restful sound for those leisurely hours spent relaxing on the back deck or at the outdoor dining table. Gold fish swim among the water lilies, irises and rushes, while a large floating glass ball is an attractive ornament. 

Braving the winter chills, a dainty white-flowered camellia is espaliered along the back fence, contrasting with the bright green clumped bamboo. Feature plants, including flowering cherries, lancewoods, Juniperus chinensis 'Kaizuka' and black New Zealand myrtle add colour to the garden, while green and black mondo grass is used extensively. 

Tim Prebble, of Texture Plants, says the Holmwood Rd garden works well because it achieves what the busy couple wanted. 

"The secret to planning a garden like this is knowing how to put plants together. We use a lot of natives in our planting, as well as colour and form. They thrive in their local conditions and also attract birds, which is a bonus," Tim says.  

"Flowers only look good for a short time of the year, but plants selected for foliage are spectacular year round."