The evolution of a semi-tropical garden design

They had the half-formed ideas, but weren't quite sure how to gel them all together. So they called in Amanda Balmer from WAX Design.

"We didn't have one structured, set idea," says Gavin. "We sort of plucked different ideas from here and there and we asked Amanda to steer us onto the right design track."

Amanda listened carefully to Gavin and Sarah's plans for the space and then went away and put together a clever yet practical design for the garden. One concern was the massive storage shed at the rear - Gavin and Sarah were quite keen to screen it from view if possible, but still allow access to it through the yard. So Amanda designed a paved driveway with a semi-permanent look, which integrates into the yard rather than dominating it, and planted trees to screen the shed. 

A cubby house will also go up in the lawn area in front of the shed, providing further screening. She designed a lovely new pergola under which Gavin and Sarah could entertain their friends and family.

Alongside the pool, Amanda suggested a stylish fence with timber decking curving up and integrating into the fenceline and with corrugated perforated steel placed in between the timber sections. 

"The idea was to have something quite funky, but a comfortable blend between old and new," says Amanda, "with the timber elements taking the edge off what could have been an overly slick design."

The result has a sense of movement and style without being too modern. And this balance is reflected throughout the garden. It's a practical space that contains modern elements: a resort-style space for the family to enjoy. 

"Amanda really listened to all our scattered ideas and managed to pull them together into this coherent design that really took our desires into account," says Gavin.

Amanda Balmer

WAX Design

Why did the client engage you for this job?

They had done the front garden themselves but were quite daunted by the prospect of tackling the backyard, which was larger and needed more work. They had already decided that they wanted a pool, and had arranged its installation, but they needed some other things integrated around the pool.

What did they ask you to do in terms of design?

They are both very busy people and they wanted an escape from their daily lives, a place to chill out and enjoy while at the same time providing space for their children and their dogs. They were looking for a semi-tropical resort type of feel to the space, combined with practical considerations. 

What sort of practical considerations did they ask you to cater for in your design?

There is a large storage shed that dominates the back of the yard. We needed to have access to that through the yard while also screening it from view. They wanted space for the children to play in, secure boundaries to keep the dogs in and the safety fence around the pool.

What sort of plants did you put in?

We went for hardy drought-tolerant plants, but we also were looking to inject some verticality to the space, rather than just having everything on that ground-level plane. That added depth and another dimension to the garden, as well as a screening effect. 

Can you explain the design of the fence alongside the pool?

The idea was to have something quite funky, but a comfortable blend between old and new, with the timber elements taking the edge off what could have been an overly slick design. I think it's quite interesting - it's got a lot of movement and style but it's not too modern.

Gavin

What did you ask from Amanda and WAX Design in terms of design?

I'd done quite a bit of research, so I had a few ideas. We've travelled through Asia a lot too, and wanted to combine that semi-tropical resort sort of feel with a modern look. We've got plans for a fairly modern extension on the house, and wanted the garden to be able to integrate with that. 

So you had quite firm ideas about how the garden would look?

We didn't have one structured, set idea. We sort of plucked different ideas from here and there, and we asked Amanda to help us through those ideas and steer us onto the right design track. Amanda basically brought the whole thing together for us and created that final design.

So it was quite a collaborative process?

Yes. A close friend of ours works in landscaping and he did most of the labour, and added a few ideas too. Sarah and I helped out with some of the labour, and did most of the planting, and Amanda helped with the plant selection. We organised the pool company too.

Was screening the shed a high priority for you?

It doesn't bother me so much, but Sarah was very keen to screen it. But I must admit it's good to be looking down towards the back and not have that as the dominant focal point. It will be screened even more when the plants grow taller, and we are planning to put a cubby house in front of it too. 

And would you recommend Amanda and WAX Design to other people?

Absolutely. Amanda really listened to all our scattered ideas and managed to pull them all together into this coherent design that really took our desires into account. She added some things of her own, to complement our ideas as well as the design of the house, and they were perfect too.