Buckleton Beach Garden Update

Six months on, the coastal garden at Buckleton Beach (which includes a living roof) has grown really well.  

The planting plan was simple and aimed to create a strong frontage of hardy, easily maintained species for this holiday home with room to park the boat and for visual interest when viewed from the deck above.

The mix of native and the occasional Australian ground cover (to link with existing large gum tree in front yard) have grown well and should in time reflect relatively well the original concept.  The photo below is a conceptual montage of what we imagined the front terrace might look like.

This photo below shows the scenario six months after planting - not bad.

The living roof is doing really well with most plants surviving the summer and spreading across the roof to create a striped carpet of hardy coastal natives.

and what a stunning location made even more special with the use of coastal species which fit with the context of the garden.

Courtyard Garden

The design concept for this garden aimed at creating a tranquil and private courtyard and entry space which leads visitors to the main house entrance while also providing a usable area for seating and play (particularly in the morning).

The concept builds on the existing strong structure of plaster walls which create individual planting beds. These create an edge to the courtyard and help to soften the hard paved space in the central area.  The planting palette focuses on a limited easily maintained range of plants which will form a strong structural element to the space.  A contrast in textures is achieved by use of the rounded shapes of the golf ball pittosporum and the strap like leaves of the Xeronema.  

These strong textures are then softened by the soft star jasmine and snow in summer plants which are interspersed throughout the garden beds.  

The colour palette picks up on the grey and white tones of the house and focuses on shades of green and grey with white flowers and occasional drama supplied by the splashes of red of the xeronema when it flowers.  

The hard surfaces are a mix of large rectangular pavers which assist in leading the visitor to the front door and white gravel mix which allows for a softening effect to the paved area while still being usable by the clients.  Feature olive trees provide a soft open screening of the bedroom spaces at ground level while still allowing light into these rooms. They also assist in delineating the movement of visitors to the steps and up to front entry rather than trying to access through the bedroom doors.  Feature pots provide sculptural form and additional softening within the hard space.  

A feature diamond trellis is provided on the timber fence and garage wall to create a further interest and to soften those hard elements.  This feature will be softened over time with the flowering star jasmine which will climb the wires and create a vegetated diamond pattern against the wall. 

Community Driven Design & Development Guide

I've been working with another local landscape architect, Geraldine Bayley on a Design and Development Guideline for our local village of Kaukapakapa.  It is a privilege to be working on a community driven project (Kaukapakapa Area Residents and Ratepayers) and to have had such great input from the local community.

The image above is of the draft concept for an entry sign for the village which I developed based on the feedback and input of locals and their desire to see the meaning of the Kaukapakapa name being used as inspiration for branding of the village.

You can find out more about the project and where it is all at the KARRA website and at the following website link on the details of the project, www.kaukapakapa-design.com