Nairne Garden Sanctuary

Project Overview

To design and build a unique, low maintenance garden sanctuary.

 

Challenges

 PC’s Patch is situated in an expansive development in Nairne. Our main focus was to create a garden that stood out and was different to all that surrounded it, had low maintenance requirements and was robust to stand the test of time. The garden was designed to also attract a family who would enjoy living here and benefit from the well planned grounds in this fairly small area.  

The main features of this garden are gabion (weld mesh) retaining walls and free standing panels. The gabions really ground the garden and give it a strong purpose and direction. There is also a modern timber pergola covered in wisteria designed for al fresco living and entertaining, as well as a vegetable garden.

The palate of plants selected for the garden are purposely quite small.  There are a number of hedging plants used such as Syzygiums, Viburnums , Buxus, Laurus, and Olea. Buxus and Westringea are used in the front as spheres in combination with the graceful Miscanthus moving in the breeze. In the rear garden 3 Acers (Sango Kaku – Coral Bark) are planted amongst the gabions, which in time will link and form an overhead canopy to the pergola and productive garden. The sunken productive garden below the pergola is bounded by hedges of bay, olives and espaliered citrus.

A challenge we had on this site after construction was being flooded every winter with surface and groundwater coming from the neighbour on the high side. More drainage has been installed as well as plants such as Bamboo (Alphonse Karr) and a beautiful yellow flowering Canna to mop up as much water as they can.

Outcome

Recently a number of plants have been added to ‘soften’ the garden. Rosa ‘Pinkie’ climbs gracefully over the rear gabions and at ground level plants such as Iris, Achillea, Stachy’s, Ajuga ,  Verbena , Aeonium and Geranium add some colour. Although the garden is still young and needs time to fill out , it is an example of how to maximise and utilise a small space.

This garden is now proudly a part of Open Garden South Australia.

Our Favourite Elements

• Modern timer pergola covered in Wisteria
• Vegetable Garden
• Gabion retaining walls