How creative solutions allowed this steep garden to function | Garden Design | Gardening Australia

Tammy visits a steep garden where the designers’ inspiring solutions will really make you stop and think. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe

Designers:  Barbara Landsberg & Cherith Piper, Landsberg Garden Design
Location:  Cammeraygal Country in Cammeray, NSW
Climate Zone:  Warm temperate
Garden established:  2021
Style:  Modern Australian

Key Features:  A steep sandstone site split into tranquil spaces and linked by a boardwalk-style path in the centre, with a water feature connecting the levels.

The plants were carefully chosen to suit its many microclimates, from full sun to full shade and everything in between.

The whole space is only the size of two double garages.

The brief to the designers started as repairing the concrete stairs that ran up one side of the garden, so the initial goal was improving the journey from the street to the house, with some garden design along the way.

The owners were interested in native plants so liked Barbara and Cherith’s idea of bringing nature in and using water. The decking over the water feature is now a lovely tranquil space for the owner to practise yoga.

There is very little soil depth over the garage roof and load restrictions, so these restraints posed a challenge, but many heat-loving plants have shallow roots.

Now a “desolate lawn” has been replaced by a riot of plants tumbling down the slope, and a place for citrus and herbs. Even the shady void under the front deck has been planted out with large-leafed rainforest-style hardy plants. There are big, bold plants and lots of repetition of plants that do well. Despite the limits, there are several small trees to provide scale and to raise the garden to the terrace above.

Corten steel screens provide a dramatic entrance and separate spaces; the screens are etched with a watery pattern that echoes the cascade garden, breaks up the blocks, and allows light to spill through.
___________________________________________

Gardening Australia is an ABC TV program providing gardening know-how and inspiration. Presented by Australia’s leading horticultural experts, Gardening Australia is a valuable resource to all gardeners through the television program, the magazine, books, DVDs and extensive online content.

Watch more: http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/gardening-australia
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gardeningaustralia
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gardeningaustralia
Web: http://www.abc.net.au/gardening

___________________________________________

This is an official Australian Broadcasting Corporation YouTube channel. Contributions may be removed if they violate ABC’s Online Conditions of Use http://www.abc.net.au/conditions.htm (Section 3).