Boulevard Garden

This eye-catching garden achieves year-round structure through skilful planting. The Boulevard is enjoyed by many pedestrians, and a conscious decision was made that the new garden should offer something to this streetscape, rather than turning its back on the street (which is sadly something that more and more gardens are doing in our city!)

The stone walls and lawn shape reflect the curves of the pre-war Art deco home.

The site was challenging and much thought went into understanding the inherent problems of the site: chronically dry areas under the large existing cedars, and the contrasting areas along the long lower boundary which retain water during winter, and which consequently called for a different plant palette.

The drier areas were planted with well adapted natives, whilst the long lower border lent itself well to perennials and grasses. Throughout the garden there is a balance of structural evergreen plants: native and non-native merge seamlessly.

The bones of the garden are revealed in Winter, when the perennials and grasses are cut right down, and evergreen plantings remain to provide structure. Bulbs emerge to provide Winter cheer. As the bulbs die down, perennial plantings erupt in a succession which carries the garden right through Spring, Summer and Autumn, when they are finally cut down again, to reveal the bulbs which have thoughtfully reappeared. No season is without structure and interest in this garden.