Kooky hedging, poppies and art – there’s always something new to see in this Hastings garden.
With owners who love a project there is always something new to see in this Hawke’s Bay garden
Just 15 minutes from central Hastings, you are deep into growing country where vineyards and orchards march across the land. It's exactly where you'd expect orchardists Julie and Mike Russell to settle. They met as young horticultural students and describe themselves as growers.
They haven't just settled, but have created a diverse and beautiful 4ha garden called Round Pond. The property has dozens of established trees, an Italian alder shelter belt to protect from the wind whipping across the plains, olives flourishing in the Hawke’s Bay climate, clusters of stately oaks and several specimens. However, Mike says, “when you’re talking about trees this is still a very young garden”.
What began as a bare paddock 25 years ago is now a testament to teamwork, and what Mike calls “Julie’s wonderful way with combinations”. Each area of the garden has its own character achieved by blending different textures, colours and flowers with strong foliage. Dahlias and day lilies, key components of the red garden, make a bold
statement in the midsummer heat. “The reds tend to drown out the wonderful blues of the cornflowers, larkspurs, delphiniums and salvias,” says Julie, so she made a separate bed for them where they can receive the attention they deserve.
The many beds and borders are linked by paths but it’s the extensive use of buxus that gives the garden cohesion. They were fundamental in the planning of the garden and create a framework for the specimen trees, shrubs and flowers.
The couple have always grown this versatile plant from cuttings for hedges and in-filling. Buxus is also used, along with Laurus nobilis and juniper, for the distinctive topiaries that add shape and structure; the variety of sometimes whimsical forms, textures and colours creates depth, and enticing curves and crannies on the completely flat property.
The twice-yearly clippings in February and November required to keep them in shape are worth the extra effort for the enjoyment and sense of fun they bring. While Julie freely admits she is not an artist in the conventional sense, the garden has become her canvas and the plants her paints.
A wander around the property reveals, piece by piece, an eclectic mix of garden art. A classical nymph gazes across the path at a modern glass cube; vibrant pots sun themselves in the Mediterranean-inspired courtyard; metal birds fly on poles protruding from a bed of buxus balls. Some pieces belong to the Russells but others are still waiting for artists to collect them
after last year’s Wildflower Sculpture Exhibition held on the property.
The biennial fundraising event for Cranford Hospice began in 2008 when Julie and Mike wanted to help raise money for the charity. They felt that the garden on its own wouldn’t be enough so decided to combine wildflowers with art, curating an outdoor gallery to draw the crowds; it has proved successful but challenging.
November is a tricky month for an outdoor event, says Julie, even though it's rare for Hawke’s Bay to have long spells of bad weather. Making sure the flowers appear on cue is crucial so Julie plants a custom-made wildflower seed mix in autumn and again in early spring to maximise the number of blooms on display. Says Mike: “Julie manages it pretty well but the plants will do what they want to do.”
Another big issue is weeds. “Hawke’s Bay is a very weedy place and wildflowers are just weeds anyway, so it’s a constant struggle,” says Julie.
Preparing for the event is hard work but it is also a great motivator. “We keep striving each time to make something a little better, a little different, to make people interested in gardens and gardening,” says Julie.
The Russells aren’t afraid to innovate, whether that means growing new red-fleshed plums in their orchard, trying out an original plant combination in the garden or diversifying their business. The pair say they had lots of fun pioneering the bike wine
trail industry as owners of the first company of its kind in the area for 12 years. They are also enjoying their latest enterprise of hiring out Round Pond Garden as a wedding venue, which has made a promising start.
The couple are determined to stay on the property, says Julie. “We are very aware that becomes harder as we get older, so this new sideline is one way we are trying to future-proof ourselves.”
The couple thrive on the buzz of their many ventures, but are careful not to over-commit. They know at some point it will be time to slow down, to let the projects fall away, so what will they do then? For Julie and Mike the answer is obvious: “We will still have the most important thing; we will still have our garden.”