Gardens EG
Wisteria adorns the house with a sea of purple, pink or white blossoms in spring, and also exudes a powerful scent and is a treat for bees. It can effectively protect your walls from wind and the elements. However, it requires a strong trellis as it gets significantly heavier over time. Wisteria can be almost impossible to get rid of once it’s planted, so if you’re likely to have second thoughts, plant it in a pot outside rather than in the ground.
Sculpted veg gardens: round, square, circular, a vegetable garden can be virtually any shape, it just needs to sit comfortably alongside the built elements within a landscape. When designing the shape of your garden, think about the space you’ll need to move around, e.g. wide enough for a wheelbarrow, and factor in the size of the plants and how they’ll spill over in the garden.
Vertical vegetable growing: lettuce, strawberries, spinach, bok choy, spring onions and herbs. Vegetables need to be able to thrive in compact growing mediums so don’t choose vegies that have dense or deep root systems. Go for something that is more like a trough, so there’s space to grow the vegetables,
productive garden, wall of lettuce
Meditative labyrinth in a garden
LED outdoor lighting for steps
To soften the side boundary of the house, pleached ornamental pear trees (Pyrus calleryana) were paired with Boston ivy, along with star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) ground cover.
A pleached hill’s fig (Ficus microcarpa hillii) hedge is located at the rear of the garden with asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum) ground cover beneath it.
Scott specified RTF tall fescue grass for the lawn. “It’s a great cool-season grass well-suited to Melbourne’s climate that provides year-round greenery,” he says.
Common names: Bird of paradise flower, crane flower Botanical name: Strelitzia. There are six species of bird of paradise, with the most commonly grown Strelitzia reginae, pictured here. The other species are mountain bird of paradise (Strelitzia caudata), giant bird of paradise (Strelitzia nicolai), the quite rare white bird of paradise (Strelitzia alba), spoonbill (Strelitzia parvifolia) and African desert banana (Strelitzia juncea), which has very narrow leaves. Origin: South Africa Architectural plant. Can deal with little water but better to water in summer. Fertilise in spring and autumn with general purpose fertiliser. Prune dead flowers and leaves so plant puts energy into new growth.
Gracie Modern Arbour like a moon gate
Gate arbour, Boston
Vegetable garden arbour
Small Stonehenge
Stone cairn and torii gate
Stone paving and Japanese tori gate
Traditional arbour, UK
Mediterranean patio, San Francisco
Japanese stone garden
Symbolism of Stone Gardens Stone gardens are rich in symbolism, many reflecting Zen thought and ancient Chinese philosophies. It is necessary to be able to read this further layer of meaning in order to fully appreciate these gardens as more than just a collection of rocks. For example, many gardens include the so-called Horai-jima, a representation of the unreachable island of immortals from Chinese legend – the tall stone in this photo. Smaller Tsuru-jima (crane islands) and Kame-jima (turtle islands), which symbolise longevity, are often built in its immediate proximity Small stones that represent ‘treasure ships’, themselves symbolic of luck and prosperity, are usually arranged to point with one of their ends toward the island of immortals, and are often seen in such gardens as well. They are either heading for the island to claim its treasures or heading home with their spoils. Their load is indicated by their height above the sand waves.
Simple, free from luxury and ostentation, stone gardens beam with an irresistible charm. Gardens which have been used for centuries for practising Zen might be just what we need in the modern day to remind us to take an occasional moment from our busy lives and reflect on ourselves.
It is possible to create grand-looking scenery even in a confined space by just using small lanterns and stones. Features where stones represent ponds are called kareike, dry ponds. One of their merits is that they are easier to create and maintain than ponds with real water. Adding waterside plants, such as sweet flags, makes the illusion even more convincing.
LED fairy lights outside
Pom pom trees in pots
Garden door
Circular area with low walls to tier the garden. Planting in white - hydrangeas
Garden arch created from vines trained over a metal structure, with hydrangea and ivy lining the path
Door entrance to a garden
Entry pond with lighting
Spanish courtyard with bright white walls
Fire bowl in Sydney
Walled garden in Notting Hill with outdoor fireplace and seating along walls
Easy fountain in Sydney
Charming walled garden in England
Water cascade over a mirror to diffuse light
Mirror reflecting the garden. like an artwork
a propped mirror in a shady corner under bougainvillea
Add candles in front of an outdoor mirror after dark
Gallery wall of mismatched frames some with mirrors and some without
Gazing ball - "Reflective glass orbs, also known as ‘gazing balls’ or ‘yard globes’, have a long history in gardens dating back to the 13th century. Sometimes made from metal, occasionally decorated or illuminated, they are found in many modern gardens. Similar decorations known as ‘witch balls’ – generally made from glass – can even be tucked among greenery, hung from trees or along pathways. Tip: You can make your own gazing balls from old bowling balls or concrete, timber or sturdy plastic spheres – simply spray-paint with metallic paint.
Nature's mirror
Arched mirror in garden. To stop an indoor mirror degrading, use silicone sealant or metallic tape around the frame to keep moisture out. Waterproof the back with a flexible spray sealant (available at paint stores). Also garden suppliers sell acrylic and polycarbonate mirrors that are relatively unaffected by moisture and safer for kids’ play areas. Acrylic can be cut into interesting shapes and effects.
BBQ area in Kirribilli, concrete tops
outside yoga room
Bamboo, moss and stones
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