Bethlehem Gem

25 October 2012

Athfield Drive

Bethlehem

Tauranga

We had a lovely visit to Joans formal/cottage garden nestled in the leafy suburb of Bethlehem.  She established her garden from scratch 9 years ago where they built a Landmark home.

Her driveway was lined with an effect white garden – of standard iceberg roses, lambs ear and a white camellia hedge.  The entrance of the house was highlighted with stunning tall cone shaped and tiered lilly pilly.  Although very effective and fast growing Joan pointed out that they are not an ideal specimen due to their susceptibility to thrips.  She sprays them fortnightly with confidor to control the disease.

The back garden is stunning with a 4 tiered hedge separating the lower garden with the upper.  This was very effective and much enjoyed by all of us.  Between one layer of the hedge were Vulcon or black magnolia which would be striking in flower.

The 3 Curly Robina lined in one garden made for an interesting aspect of the garden, although not a particularity robust tree in the wind.

The back garden was more of a casual cottage garden with lots of variety and colour, with a few vegetables along the way! 

Michelle

Hamilton Gardens

27 September 2012

Cobham Drive
Hamilton
www.hamiltongardens.co.nz




WOW what an amazing job the Hamilton council have done. 
Our first destination was the Paradise Garden Collection, made up of 6 gardens from around the world. Let the exploring begin.......

Entrance to the Paradise Garden Collection

First garden was the 'Italian Renaissance Garden, it is an interpretation of 15th-16th Century Renaissance gardens that sought to rationalise and improve upon nature' - there words not mine!

It was interesting how they had trained some of the espalier to grow down the wall, you can see that in the middle photos.

Kumera mounds

Next stop 'Te Parapara, which is a garden demonstrating traditional Maori horticulture.'









The 'Japanese Garden of Contemplation, an example of the 14th - 16th Century Muromachi Period gardens designed for quiet contemplation and study.' I have to say it was very peaceful.

The Indian garden was quiet a contrast to the Japanese garden, with its full bursts of colour everywhere. The 'Indian Char Bagh Garden, an interpretation of a 16th - 17th Century symbolic four-quartered garden built for the Mughal aristocracy as an escape from the harsh environment.'

We had a quick pass through the English Flower Garden, which I think we were a bit early for and not much was out in flower.

Then onto the 'Chinese Scholar's Garden, and interpretation of the 10th - 12th Century Sung Dynasty gardens that were designed as natural worlds of imagination and surprise.' Again we were a bit early to see the Wisteria flowering, Im sure it would be worth a trip to see as it has been wound around a large bridge over the water way.

The 'American Modernist Garden, a late 20th Century garden for outdoor living designed in the American West Coast tradition.'

Leaving the Paradise Collection we headed for the Productive Garden Collection, have to say I was pretty excited about seeing this. The garden displayed plants for culinary, cosmetic, perfume and medicianal purposes. It even had this 'Pouched Egg Flower' plant, interesting!

Formal Herb Garden, note the clipped Bay Tree

On to the 'Kitchen Garden, based on the traditional European kitchen gardens, this garden displays a range of vegetables and small fruits.' I had a chat with the gardeners as they were pulling up wheel barrow loads of carrots, to find that they send all there produce to the food bank.

Fruit trees espaliered within the walled garden 

The last garden we had time for was the 'Sustainable Backyard, a small enclosed garden demonstrating principles of sustainable food production on a backyard scale.' They managed to fit alot into this small space, bee hive, worm farm, compost, fruit trees and veges.

Unfortunately we ran out of time to explore the rest the fantastic Hamilton gardens have to offer. So we think another trip is on the agenda.
Donna

Europe in Maungatapu

30 August 2012

Marg Mills

Maungatapu, Tauranga

Marg met us at the top of her expansive waterfront property and explained she’d grown up on a farm and had four large gardens, so it was essential to find a large city section when they moved to town.

The home was originally built by the owners of the Roberts concrete company and by the time Marg and her husband took over, the gardens were a busy collection of single plants splayed out across parts of the sprawling grounds.

The previous owner had the garden watered via a computer system and extensive weedmat.

With the expert guidance of a designer friend, Marg set about transforming the hillside property. Where once there was a bank sporting “one of everything”, there is now a field of agapanthus dotted with magnolia.  

Rosemary hangs over the driveway, which wends down beneath the home. The privacy is striking: it’s hard to believe this home is just 6km from the city centre. The steep ¾ acre section, large retaining walls and a semi-abandoned neighbouring property create a real sense of privacy.

Marg said her one true discovery throughout the years was to plant en masse. So the garden was edged by a wide and deep pool of star jasmine. Marg’s drifts are not 5 or 7 plants, but 45 or 50.

The southern European feel is enhanced by a ficus snaking around an outside mirror and lush coverings of the creeper which have almost totally obscured the wood of the retaining walls. Marg creates an element of whimsy with two stained glass windows hung on a wall, suggesting a little home in the bank.

As Mel pointed out, this is a “confident” garden. Alongside the mass plantings are items which catch the eye: a ponga tiki; a mosaic bird bath; old lamps used as stakes, a poor knight’s lily; a ‘gonadia’. It feels lived in – used, cherished and practical. A gorgeous path descends to the water’s edge where all that’s needed is a glass of wine for a perfect summer evening.

There are pergolas perched high to capture the Mauao view. Plants range from huge flowering trees to a small olive grove, ionium planted alongside baby aggies, Indian hawthorn, oleanders and a lavender hedge.

I came home and felt like I needed a sleep. There’s so much work in such a huge garden but Marg has kept it manageable by following her mantra of mass planting. What a wonderful space. It’ll be great to see everything in full bloom for the garden fest in November.  

Marg’s tips:

Plant en masse: “Bulking up makes it easier”.

Cut back plants: “Most things respond to being chopped back”.

If you’re pushed for time, concentrate on the aspects of the garden which give the quickest impression of order: “Do your paths and edges, lawns and hedges and then you’re fine”.

Keri

We then headed to Keri's for the traditional coffee and cake. Keri pulled out all the stops with this wonderful gluten-free Orange and Poppy-seed Cake, what a treat. You can find the recipe on the G3 recipe blog. Yum thanks Keri.

G3 Weekend Away to Rotorua

28-29 July 2012

Garden of John and Marian Sandrey

Waikite Valley

Rotorua

I think we all felt relieved that the sun was shining on Saturday 28^th July as we drove to our first garden on our Inaugural G3 weekend away.  We had been warned by our hostess to bring warm clothes and we were pleased that we had followed her advice as there was a distinct chill in the air.

We met Marian in the driveway and she explained that her family had been in the Waikite Valley for 45 years and in this property for 35 years.  The garden was testament to this with hundreds of large specimen trees providing the back bone of this lovely property.  From the massive silver birches in the entrance way to a rare poplar tree on the hill and a cherry tree that was grown for its distinct bronze bark, there were many wonderful specimens.

Hellebore bank

We started with a walk down the long driveway, admiring the bank of pastel shaded hellebores, perfectly positioned so that their shy nodding heads could be viewed from below.

Maple waterfall

Then we followed an outer path upward past the massive poplar and maple waterfall and up through woodlands passing by Marian’s many special artistic touches. Marian told us how she would often keep items recycled from the farm until the perfect spot for them could be found.  These became garden art with thoughtful placement and much consideration.  A series of interconnecting inner and outer paths joined the many distinct areas in this garden which was on a grand scale of approximately 4 acres of gardens and woodlands.

We had a lot of ground to cover and had we felt the need to rest we could easily have done so on one of the 15 seats around the garden. Marian did joke that she rarely sat on any of them. The garden was immaculately groomed with neat lawns and edges and not a weed in sight. It was easy to see that Marian and her husband both worked very hard and did not have much time for rest. Marian said her husband John was very helpful in the garden, with one of his main jobs being the lawn, which took around five hours to mow!

Highlights of the garden for me were the wonderful trees, so sculptural in winter and the hellebores and woodland areas.  Also popular amongst the G3ers was the silver birch glade, Keri loved this and comments were made about how it would be a great spot for wedding photos.  Michelle enjoyed the formal element of the buxus hedging close to the house, leading up the stairs to a white seat in the shadow of a rolling hill.  We all enjoyed the sunny deck looking down on the valley as we stopped to admire photos of the garden taken in autumn with spectacular colours and commented on how we would love to come again to see it in a different season.

We finished our tour with hot drinks and scones and had time to ask our hostess many questions while we looked out at the rockery visible from the lounge window.  

Next stop was a lakeside picnic before we made our way to our 2^nd garden of the day.
Paula

Our second garden was that of Pam Montgomery. She lived across the valley and had a garden which had a lovely calm atmosphere in the dappled afternoon light.

Vicki grew up nearby and Pam is an old family friend, so she introduced us as Pam emerged in the driveway.

We started with a meander through the edibles. Donna would have loved it. There was a glorious urn with thyme draping over its edges, and all sorts of unusual little plants – even saffron! Her soil was uncovered in a portion of the dug-up garden and it was remarkable for the small ball bearings of pumice littered throughout it.

We ambled around the path skirting the bottom of the section, through sweet smelling Daphne, violets, climbers, ponga and large kowhai, and popped up at the far end of the garden. The view out over the valley was lovely and we were again grateful for the sun in what must be a bitterly cold place on a ferocious day.

Pam had some lovely mature ornamental trees and a pergola which drew the eye towards the home. Two swans shaped out of lonicera stood sentinel next to a step onto the lawn. One of the most striking features was a hedge made of a plant on which the leaves turn brown but cling until new growth emerges. The spectacle of a brown hedge in winter was really striking. There were other shaped bushes around the property, a bird bath, a massive hedge of buxus which in one corner was more than a metre wide and an ivy ball Pam made by sitting one hanging basket-shape on top of another.

Inside, a sumptuous cinnamon pinwheel-type cake beckoned. These ladies were so generous!!

And it was over a cuppa where we learned all about Pam’s late blossoming as an artist. When her children left home, she figured she better find herself a new focus. So she enrolled in fifth form art by correspondence. Soon she was studying art fulltime at the local polytechnic, and now she is an artist in demand – continually fulfilling commissions, many of which are for local farmers who ask her to paint the rolling hills they call home.

The chats with the gardeners are one of the most loved parts of our rambles.

Pam says her painting informs her gardening. On a crisp, clear Waikite day, it’s easy to see how her inspiring garden may also play a role in bringing her art to life.

Keri