these five easy varieties

MAKEOVER

Eat play love

Raised beds and fruit trees bring new life and order to this family garden

Text and perspective drawing by Carol Bucknell. Illustration by Pippa Fay .

READER LETTER

Dear Carol, We would love a revamp of our backyard. We live in Titirangi, West Auckland, so the soil is quite hard and has lots of clay. We have levelled the back section in two areas and planted grass but we have no idea what to do next. North is the lefthand side of the photo and we get all-day sun; it’s very hot in summer but can be wet and muddy in winter. The garden is reasonably sheltered. More privacy from our neighbours would be great, but is not essential –we can see them but they can’t see us. We would also love more fruit trees and a small vege garden if that is an option. We have a busy life so there isn’t much time to spend on garden upkeep. We would love something simple and stylish that doesn’t break the bank and won’t need too much maintenance once it’s established. We have two boys, 10 and 7, who both love to play cricket. We also have a black Labrador and a cat. Thanks for considering us. Emma Tamura, Auckland

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BED TIME Build raised beds around the perimeter of the back lawn, keeping the beds reasonably level. Where the ground slopes down, make the fence side deeper than the front, and step the sides down too. Raised beds should be 1-1.2m wide so all the plants can be easily reached from the front.

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VIEWPOINT In the centre of the rear boundary, build an arbour with trellis for the back and sides. Grow climbing plants up it and include a bench seat for watching cricket on the lawn. 0 2 0 3

GAME PLAN The raised beds will give a more defined look and better shape to the lawn, while making it faster to mow. The plants will also be easier to maintain and better protected from the dog and ball games.

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SCREEN TIME For extra privacy and to soften hard surfaces in the terrace area, add another screen above the brick planter and train scented climbers onto it. This structure will help to balance the height of the adjacent barbecue and connect the terrace to the garden.

FOOD FOREST Move existing fruit trees into beds if possible and plant more, along with veges, herbs and ornamental and pollinating flowering plants. Use taller fruit tree varieties to screen the neighbouring house on the left, close to the terrace. Smaller fruit trees will preserve the most desirable aspects of the view.

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B E SEATED Build bench seats along one edge of the terrace to give it a better sense of enclosure and provide storage below.

SUGGESTED PLANTING PLAN

Plum LavenderRain lilies Rambling rose

(Prunus ) (Zephyranthes ) (Lavandula ) (Rosa ‘Albertine’)

Photography by Getty Images . FRUIT TREES Choose taller species such as avocado, plum, apricot, nectarine, peach and olive for screening. Smaller fruit trees or those easily trimmed to remain compact –eg guava, lemon, mandarin, feijoa or dwarf apple –will still allow views across the valley.

EASYCARE ORNAMENTALS Try daylilies, dietes eg D. grandiflora and D. bicolor, smaller flax varieties eg ‘Surfer’ and ‘Jack Spratt’, rain lilies, non-invasive miniature agapanthus eg ‘Snowball’, Coprosma ‘Poor Knights’, Lomandra cultivars, Dianella ‘Little Jess’ or ‘Little Rev’, dwarf manuka cultivars. FLOWERS FOR POLLINATORS Try alyssum, echinacea, lavender, rosemary, lobelia, calendula, marigolds, daisies, hebes, renga lily (Arthropodium cirratum ), salvia or rudbeckia. CLIMBING PLANTS For fruit, try grape or passionfruit; for scent, try star jasmine or a climbing rose such as ‘Albertine’; and for stunning colour, try one of the ornamental Passiflora varieties eg red passion flower ( P. coccinea ), Mandevilla ‘Alice du Pont’, wisteria or Thunbergia grandiflora .

Note: These plants are suitable for this site, which is warm and north-facing with clay soil. Check them out at your local nursery and ask if they’re right for your garden and climate.

TIP Raised beds are a good option for growing fruit trees and vegetables when faced with soil that is mainly clay. You can improve the soil by mixing it with a good-quality growing medium before filling the raised beds. You should also ensure there is good drainage incorporated into the base. Regularly apply compost and other organic matter to help break down the clay.

Need help with your garden?

Does an area of your garden need a revamp? Garden editor and landscape designer Carol Bucknell will come up with a plan for some lucky readers. All we need are photographs of your problem area, details of where you live, a site description (where north is, the soil type, whether your garden is exposed to wind or heat) and the style of garden you would like. SEND TO Case Study, Your Home and Garden , Bauer Media, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1010, or email yhg@ bauermedia.co.nz. We can’t feature everyone’s garden in the magazine, but if you’d like some personal design advice, you can contact Carol at carolbucknell.co.nz .