outdoor special
French accent
rustic chic
An Ici Et Là deckchair sums up the easy style of Nicky’s garden. On the ground, an age-battered metal pot and demijohn, also from Ici Et Là, along with a seedling pot from Garden Life, form a pretty vignette of weatherworn patinas. The dense foliage of a cypress hedge blocks almost all wind and creates a zone that’s great for growing delicate plants, as well as providing shelter.
everyday elegance This oddly shaped Sydney block has grown into a charming garden with a polished Parisian feel STORY SHELLEY TUSTIN STYLING ADAM ROBINSON PHOTOGRAPHY NATALIE HUNFALVAY
Today, cYPRESS HEDGES and creeping vines envelop this little garden in a lush embrace, irregular pavers weave through a green carpet of dichondra and native violets, enticing one to explore every hidden corner, and pretty French-style furniture beckons. But it wasn’t always such an inviting hideaway, originally comprised of a stunted deck, a few plants and a water fountain in a dusty swathe of pavers. “There was some nice outdoor space, but it felt very closed in and not at all homely,” says owner Nicky. Ready to revamp the space, Nicky called on Nicola Cameron of Pepo Botanic Design, with whom she had worked on a previous house. “It was a tricky site because there were no right angles and lots of little nooks that weren’t really connected to each other,” explains Nicola. “There was no flow.” She came up with a range of savvy solutions, including a space-enhancing mirror and tall hedges which draw the eye upwards. The diminutive deck was demolished and replaced with a wide stretch of tallowwood decking that stretches all the way to the leafy boundary. Soft borders and organic shapes turn the garden’s odd layout into its biggest asset as ingenious poured-concrete pavers in different shapes lead visitors on a winding path through gently mounded garden beds. Nicky’s dream was for a low-maintenance garden that was also gloriously green. Luckily, the unique characteristics of the site meant that she could have both. “The hedge shelters the site from the wind and a lot of sun,” says Nicola. “It creates a little microclimate, which is perfect for a lush, green garden.” Nicky now has a beautiful outdoor space that encourages her to put her busy life on hold for a while and slow down. “I really enjoy sitting on the deck, looking through the garden,” she says. “It’s just lovely.”
divine dining
The Massproductions ‘Tio’ table and chairs from Spence & Lyda have a contemporary French cafe vibe, and suit the garden perfectly. “You couldn’t have a chunky setting here because it’s such a small area,” says designer Nicola. The mirror (opposite) creates the illusion of space. >
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grey matter
Greenery looks particularly striking against the exterior walls, painted in Dulux Weathershield Otto’s Boy. Nicola recalls, “When it went on, we said, ‘Oh no, it’s purple!’ But it’s turned a lovely grey in the sun, which is what we wanted.” A wooden trug from Ici Et Là adds a homely feel.
European appeal
The deck was raised to provide a seamless flow from the interior living spaces, and is decorated with the stylish simplicity of a French garden terrace. Plush cushions from Ici Et Là up the comfort factor around the table, encouraging guests to linger. “There’s a really nice line of vision from the deck through the garden to a maple tree in the corner,” says Nicky.
design tips
difficult block
“The tricky thing with this site was that there are no right angles, so we couldn’t have rectangular or square pavers,” says Nicola Cameron of Pepo Botanic Design. To combat this, she and her team came up with the idea of poured-concrete paving pads in irregular shapes, which have turned into a feature in their own right. “Either side of the path, the garden beds are raised in slight mounds with no boxy edging,” explains Nicola. “Rising out of the dichondra and native violets, the pavers are like lily pads floating through the greenery.”
materials
key features
1. Exterior paint: Weathershield in Otto’s Boy, $89.45/4L, Dulux.
2. Decking: Tallowwood decking, from $71/sqm, Boral Timber.
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PAVERS: Try bluestone organic steppers, $78 each, Eco Outdoor.
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KEY PLANTS: Virginia creeper, anthuriums, New Guinea impatiens, dichondra, native violets.
ILLUSTRATION KENZIEDESIGN.com
plans
pretty plantings
To create the feel of a verdant garden sanctuary, designer Nicola layered many shades of green, against which a few cheeky pops of red offer maximum impact. A bowl of New Guinea impatiens punctuates a corner of the deck with a slash of scarlet (opposite), while the slightly raised garden beds are planted with pinkyred anthuriums (above left). “These are normally used indoors as they don’t like a lot of sun, which gives you an indication of how little sun this corner gets,” says Nicola. “It’s an ideal little microclimate for plants that don’t like a lot of light.” >
LANDSCAPE DESIGN: Pepo Botanic Design (02 9349 1220, pepo.com.au. homebeautiful.com.au {FEBRUARY 2014} 209
outdoor special
French accent get the look
Add Gallic grace with chic furniture and rustic-style accessories
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1. Vintage pots, $12 each, Garden Life. 2. ‘Istanbul’ towel in Grey, $48, Cranmore Home. 3. ‘Melbourne Parrot’ outdoor cushion, $105, Satara. 4. ‘Läckö’ 3-piece dining set, $99, Ikea. 5. ‘Stripe’ cotton & velvet cushion, $55, Linen & Moore. 6. Demijohn bottle, $59.95, Freedom. 7. ‘Girig’ bowl, $4.99, Ikea. 8. Deckchair, $175, Garden Life. 9. ‘Crochet’ vase in Jute, $75, Equator Homewares. 10. ‘Herbs’ tray, $49.99, The Bushel Box Co. 11. David Edmonds bowl with haworthia succulents, $140, Garden Life. Stockists, page 212
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merchandising kylie jackes
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