Next level

A STEEP AND ROCKY YARD IS NOW A GORGEOUS, PLANT-FILLED SPACE

Words TAMMY HUYNH

Photography ALEX REINDERS

When horticulturist Chloe Thomson (@beantheredugthat) and husband Gerard bought their home eight years ago, the sloping backyard was bare and inhospitable. With outsourcing costs high and no access for machinery, the couple nutted out solutions they could complete over time. After much hard work, the rear garden is now a family oasis, where useful and attractive goodies flourish in raised beds and chooks roam freely.

Divide and conquer

For Chloe, improving the function of their home’s backyard – in Melbourne’s northern outskirts – was a priority.

“It was a dust bowl with a couple of vegie boxes – not lovely nor practical,” she says. She and Gerard discussed a rough concept then worked on one project at a time. They spent a few weekends carving wide steps out of the rocky soil, but weren’t precious about time spent on the task.

“It was just the two of us digging – sometimes we could dedicate a full weekend to the garden and other times we skipped it,” says Chloe. “We were realistic about what we could achieve.”

Pr actical solutions

Having to cart in materials by hand meant the couple had to be selective in their choices.

“Concrete and heavy timber retaining walls were out of the question,” says Chloe. They used Corten steel edging around the steps and along paths. “It’s lightweight, easy to install and perfect for what we needed.”

Along the back boundary, they built a series of gabion baskets to act as retaining walls. “We filled them with rubble from around the backyard,” says Chloe. “But we saved the good-looking rocks for the front of the cage.” The raised vegie beds were constructed from recycled apple crates.

DREAM BIG, START SMALL

The main aim of the garden design was to maximise and enhance the outdoor space. Steps lead up to an inviting patch of lawn – with the gabion walls at the back doubling as a long bench – and a glasshouse made with recycled doors and windows. A mix of native and exotic plants soften hardscaping features – and fulfill Chloe’s desire for flowers!

“My more fickle and precious plants are near the house where the tap is, while the hardier specimens are at the back,” she says.

ABOVE The simple-toinstall path, made from recycled red gum sleepers and pebbles, makes it easy to move around the garden – and it’s low-maintenance, too RIGHT “Plants up here don’t get much water, so they need to be tough,” says Chloe (in one of the garden’s ornamental beds)

LEFT The cast-iron bath took work to restore, but evenings spent relaxing in the tub make the effort worth it!

Go with the f low

While the couple had an overall vision, nothing was fixed and they avoided becoming set on certain ideas or concepts. “We finished a section and then decided what to do next,” says Chloe. “We knew we needed paths and garden beds – and they needed to fit within the steep sloping site.” This evolving process led to pleasing results. “Instead of continuing with steps made from Corten steel edging, we used existing red gum sleepers at the point where the path turns a corner,” says Chloe. “Now there’s a lovely visual contrast of rustic steel and timber along the path.”

If you’re embarking on a lengthy DIY garden project, stage tasks so you can maintain momentum. “Break it down into small, achievable projects that you can see out from start to finish,” suggests Chloe. “Start with an area you see or want to use on a daily basis, like a garden by the front door or a vegie patch near the back door.”

Keep in mind...

n Before starting any project, you should consider health and safety risks and seek professional advice where needed.

n If using products to deal with pests, diseases or weeds, always read the label, follow the instructions carefully and wear suitable protective equipment. Avoid using weedkillers in vegie gardens or near edible plants.

n After applying fertiliser to edible plants, delay harvesting for a few days and rinse well before cooking and eating.

n Store all garden chemicals out of reach of children and pets.

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