carnegie garden
Stage 2
The second stage of this Carnegie garden provided an opportunity to create a tranquil pond garden surrounded by carefully placed granite boulders and incorporating the clients love of both Japanese and Australian plants. Japanese maples of multiple varieties and habits were placed to take advantage of different views from both inside the house and along the front and side garden paths.
Cercis Forest Pansy was also used to create shade and in summer and provide a spectacular explosion of blossoms that heralds the arrival of early spring.
A bamboo and granite water feature were added adjacent to the alfresco area which create an impressive and peaceful addition to the garden, alongside the maples planted during Stage 1 which have now matured to provide impressive canopies during summer and stunning red bark during winter.
At the front entry, a rain garden was created with a Japanese style rain chain descending into a circle of pebbles and welcoming visitors to the house - which this features becomes even more spectacular when a light drizzle creates the perfect cascade of water down the chain.
Stage 1
12 years ago, the prospect of hosting Christmas for the extended family prompted an extensive renovation of the outdoor spaces for a house in Carnegie to provide multiple entertaining spaces and make full use of their floor-to-ceiling windows to create interesting garden outlooks from almost every room in the house.
Random Ashlar paving in Black Limestone by Ecolandcraft was used with sections incorporated into the pathways to allow water penetration to the subsoil as a sustainability measure. The end result becomes a dramatic feature of this landscape.
Plantings were chosen with a mixture of Australian natives and exotic species with planting textures and forms chosen to deliver a cohesive Japanese-themed space which remains water-wise and low maintenance. A 10,000L water tank was installed in a carefully chosen location, out of view behind their shed but easily accessible, with drip-irrigation provided from the tank to water the entire garden. Productive fruit and vegetable zones have also been included in sunny, north facing regions of the garden.
An enhanced indoor-outdoor living space was created by extending the main courtyard all the way to the boundary line, with a new seat wall backed by Chinese Star jasmine providing additional seating for that Christmas lunch as well as the many family gatherings that have been held since then.
Due to the client's love of Australian natives, along with Japanese maples, many natives such as grevillias have been incorporated into the planting design, with Grevillea 'Fanfare' and Grevillea bipinatafida grown as standards to provide focal interest. Eucalyptus caesia 'Silver Princess', Acacia 'Limelight', Zieria 'Carpet Star', Dianella 'Summer Haze' and Brachyscome 'Break of Day' form attractive swathes of planting in the mounded front garden.
The garden construction was carried out by Ecolandcraft and garden organisation/planting was implemented by the clients under the guidance of The Contrary Garden.
Wall features from Entanglements have been used to complement the plantings.
