Matahui Road

“Try anything. If it works, it’s meant to be. 
Otherwise move it somewhere else!” 

Our visit today found us at the very end of Matahui Road. With a gorgeous perspective out to the estuary, Heather Young’s garden also borders an orchard, and farmland. Starting in 2000 with a garden comprising paddocks, Heather and her husband Ian have slowly turned the property into an incredible site full of many varieties of plants, sculptures, ponds, and native wildlife. Working on organic principles, we were lucky to have one of the last viewings as they had just sold the property!

With the large site divided into different zones we started our garden at the back  / entrance where Heather explained that when they purchased the property a number of the large specimen trees were already there. For her then this area became about softening the edges, underplanting (ie Clivia) and introducing variation and colour. 

The 1^st tree to encounter on the driveway looks like a jacaranda, however is called a Paulownia. It was in flower and held an elegant form, however Heather explained that because of the light coloured bark it would disappear into the skyline on a sunny day – something to consider when planting, how to background your plants (ie with a green hedge).

As we walked round it became obvious that Heather’s garden really ‘mixes it up’.  A Westerland rose entwines a tree, Dogwoods coming into flower, a large Fig tree with Daylilies and Clivia planted beneath, a type of evergreen Hydrangea border to absorb sprays from the orchard next-door… 

Heather shows us a North American Sassafras specimen tree with a mitten shaped leaf. Growing to a height of 18m Heather explains its medical properties ie a tea of the leaves can assist with liver damage.

We round the corner of the house to discover an amazing vista out to the estuary. Behind us the house with expansive decking for the view, is strung with flowering Wisteria. In front a felled tree trunk has been laid with some dried grasses and become a next for some of Heather’s bird sculptures.

“Exciting things happen 

when you don’t weed a 

garden to death”

We enter into Heather’s (enormous) potager garden. It’s called Potager Pa for the pa-like fencing  she has created around the perimeter. 

With avenues leading like spokes of a wheel towards the centre, it is filled with a variety of flowers, herbs spilling over, comfrey, large flowering Artichokes, and fruit trees. Originally a paddock, Heather tells us the story of Freddy Manure(not his real name), a local guy who came back again and again with truck loads of manure that enabled them to start the garden. We learn that all types of mint have a square stem. In the centre is The Watcher – a sculpture that Heather exchanged her PC for. A latticed Willow fence borders part of the potager. Heather places the prunings in water and after some time uses the liquid for rooting and transplanting. Chaste trees are planted and are used by naturopaths to regulate hormones. 

We exit the potager and head towards the estuary. Ponds are revealed, Heather describes them as wet patches that they discovered and developed. They introduced mosquito fish, which whilst pretty are eating the tadpoles. At the edge of the property we encounter an unusual plant whose stems are buried and flowers burst from the ground.

A raised mound in the rushes has been created to moon-watch. We start to head back to the beginning and encounter espaliered fruit trees and a nursery where we are gifted plants. A hit of the Garden and Art Festival – we are fortunate to undertake one of the last rambles, before it passes into new hands.

Sonya