HOME	ABOUT US	PROCESS		NEWS	PORTFOLIO	TESTIMONIALS	CONTACT
Total destruction in my garden! Subscribe to our free newsletter Your personal information will not be sold, given away or shared with anyone else. View previous newsletters Accredited member (Landscape Design) of The Landscape Industries Association of New Zealand (Landscaping New Zealand)			ROBYN’S GARDEN TRANSFORMATION JULY 2011 It's hard to believe it's only a year since I planted my rain garden. The growth has been prolific! Everything I planted is thriving, some of it to such an extent that I am digging it out. The cannas proved too tall for the position I planted them in and were blocking my view of the garden beyond, as well as threatening to engulf a young cabbage tree. I have found a new position for them behind the shed. The groundcover Pratia angulata has also been vigorous, climbing over the oioi and dietes, so I am removing that as well. I have come to the conclusion that this groundcover is only suitable under trees, which it won't overwhelm. The prolific planting, with still a lot to do! The planting along the boundary is also growing really well, with the young cabbage trees I planted as seedlings almost reaching the top of the fence. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time or resources to do much further development of the garden, but I am enjoying seeing everything growing. I am also enjoying having the use of my rumpus room, now that I have started using my shed for storage. I hope to move my office into this space in the next few months. I might even run some of The Garden Design School courses from there! NOVEMBER 2010 I have recently purchased a kitset shed from Sheds NZ - a lovely timber shed with a veranda - and had this constructed, so I have finally been able to start clearing out the rumpus room.  My newly installed shed, awaiting planting on the back boundary I have also been planting some of the numerous plants I brought with me from my previous home. There are still large gaps in the landscape though, so I have many more plants to source! I am yet to finish staining the retaining walls - the winter was too wet, and I have been a tad busy lately with my daughter's wedding - but hopefully I will complete that over the next few weeks. I intend staining the shed the same colour - Resene's Woodsman stain, colour Crowshead, a dark charcoal colour which recedes into the background. JULY 2010 In my last newsletter I was at the demolition stage of my garden transformation, asking myself "What on earth have I done?" However, I have now had new retaining walls built, almost completed staining them (I am waiting for a fine weekend to get this job finished!) and have planted my rain garden - see below. Part of my rain garden, recently planted  A rain garden is designed to collect and store rainwater during heavy rain events, gradually releasing any excess into the stormwater system after the event. This is an ideal opportunity for me to check which plants handle rain garden conditions, where the plants may be periodically inundated with water, but at other times may get very dry. I have planted Cordyline australis (common cabbage tree - the only cabbage tree that doesn't mind wet feet), Arthropodium cirratum (rengarenga lilies), Blechnum novae-zelandiae (kiokio or Cape fern), Apodasmia similis (oioi or jointed rush), Canna 'Tropicana', Dietes grandiflora (wild iris) and Pratia angulata, a native groundcover. I'll let you know how these plants do in these conditions. I have also planted in front of my boundary fence, planted Blechnum novae-zelandiae under my deck, and have ordered a kitset timber garden shed to store my garden tools. The shed will allow me to clear out my rumpus room and finally finish unpacking from my move nearly a year ago! MARCH 2010 I now know how my clients feel when the landscapers move in and begin demolishing everything on site! That sense of "What on earth have I done?" This is the state of my garden at the moment, the demolition almost completed and building of the new garden yet to start. However, I have completed my plan and am now working towards getting this plan implemented. Concept Plan for my garden transformation Sectional elevation of my garden transformation DECEMBER 2009 I moved into a new home in the coastal suburb of Beach Haven in the spring of 2009. The house is sunny and elevated, with lovely views across a bushy valley, and needs little work doing to it. The garden, on the other hand, is crying out for some loving care and attention - see below! I have already removed the pool and pool fencing. One of the next problems is a downpipe which is discharging directly into a planter adjacent to the basement wall of the house. In the picture below you can see the temporary measures I have taken to direct the water further away from the house. This situation provides me with an ideal opportunity to create a rain garden. I intend to collect the water from the downpipe in a decorative pot, then channel it down to the next level, where I will create the rain garden which, in turn, will overflow into a pond.
P: 09 483 5621 M: 021 480 562 E: robyn@LLDesign.co.nz © Copyright Laurenson Landscape Design 2011