Diane Beddison, Kew

2024: 32 Byron St Kew

Designer
Open Date
16 & 17 Nov. 2024
Garden Entry
$7
Notes

Open 10:00 to 5:00

 

Diane worked closely with the owners to create a garden that suited their aesthetic and elegant Edwardian home.  They enjoy gardening and growing their own food.  It was a joy to work on this project.

At the front, the owners requested a cottage style garden to blend with the existing brick path and driveway and to complement their home.  Some simple additions were made to complete the hard landscaping.  The priority was for a beautiful and engaging plant display full of colour and variety.

Small deciduous trees Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei ‘Natchez’ and Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’ were chosen to add height to the garden whilst still allowing light to penetrate to the plants below.

Our design of the rear garden combines functionality and beauty in a tight space.  This garden revolves around a circular lawn which provides space for small dogs to play.  As a sustainable option, we reused old red bricks from the property to build new paths and edge the lawn.  Bluestone steppers we’re included to compliment the brickwork.  Raised timber garden beds were built to provide fresh produce for the family.  Granitic sand was used for paths within the vegetable garden and allow water to be retained on the property.

Creating a pleasing outlook from the existing deck into the garden below was critical.  A raised bed was constructed using a core-ten edge to assist the growth of new plants against neighbouring mature Lily Pilly’s. Lush planting was created below the deck, a core-ten ornament installed as a focus and a sustainable timber panel screen built to hide the clothesline.  The rear fence was enhanced with Pandorea pandorana ‘Ruby Belles’ on a simple climbing frame and Boston Ivy in pots.

We were lucky to have two existing Magnolias and an abundant lime tree to work with.  Trees selected were Elaeocarpus reticulatus for screening, Acer palmatum ‘Osakazuki’ for autumn colour, Lauris nobilis ‘Miles Choice’ as an extension of the productive garden, plus Cercis chinensis ‘Avondale’ and Malus x atrosanguinea ‘Gorgeous’ along the side of the house.