Ebden St Ainslie

After years of Sydney terrace and townhouse living , this owner wanted a garden to provide an active retirement and to rekindle her love of gardening and roses. The initial garden plan proposed a limited range of plants but the owner sought a more complex and varied plant palette with distinct garden rooms. The owner contacted me after having loved and admired a garden I had previously created, and the owner sought me out to help her create a more colourful garden with year round interest.

This block has an unusual diamond shape of around 1100 sqm and no lawn. Existing mature Viburnum hedges provided privacy from neighbours.

Another collaborative effort with a great team adding their individual expertise has resulted in a beautiful, functional and accessible garden. Landscaping, irrigation and planting by TE Landscapes got the garden off to a great start, pergola, brick landings and steps by D3 Projects, Lighting by Simelec Lighting brings the garden to life at night. Regular hedging and mulching is done by Germaco Services. The owner and I maintain the garden with the help of a local arborist.

The garden has five distinct areas.

The front yard is designed to share the beauty of the garden with passers-by. Low stacked hedges, iconic Ainslie pencil pines, Crepe myrtles and roses provide year round interest.

The side yard is shaded by two mature Golden Ash trees underplanted with Camellias, Windflowers and Daphnes. Against the striking dining windows are framed with clipped grey Teucrium balls underplanted with draping native grasses and colourful pops of Japanese blood grass which brings the garden ‘into the house’ especially at night when the garden lighting shows off the plants beautifully.

The courtyard features a shady pergola dining area, mature Manchurian pear, an avenue of Magnolia Teddy Bears, Crepe Myrtles, Camellias and a variety of roses, low perennial plants and grasses offer seasonal interest.

The 'back paddock' divides into two distinct gardens- one with a group planting of Crepe Myrtles underplanted with Blueberries, Jasmines and Lavenders, and a few raised vegetable beds. The more shaded side is a Dogwood forest underplanted with Hellebores, Camellias, Gardenias, Liriopes and Heuchras providing year round interest.

The owner revels in the new space she has created in collaboration with her team. She has created a place to savour beauty, provide for regular physical activity and engage with her community.

This garden has achieved outstanding growth in the last two years and now makes a joyous and impressive contribution to the Ainslie landscape.