GARDENING:
In a new book, landscaper and former contestant on Australia’s The Block Dale Vine shares simple, practical tips to create your dream outdoor room.
create the perfect outdoor room
It’s become a buzzword that real estate agents and interior designers are fond of, but the idea of an ‘outdoor room’ is one that makes sense. Why have lots of outdoor space if you’re not going to use it as regularly as your living room? An outdoor room is not just about entertaining, although for many this is highly desirable. Ideally, the backyard is a place where you can relax, play, entertain and even cook or work (if you put in an outdoor kitchen with a barbecue, and create a space to sit with your laptop and enjoy the sunshine if you work from home some of the time). The outdoor room should also enjoy generous views of the rest of your garden and preferably blend in harmoniously with it all. After all, its purpose is to link your lifestyle to your garden throughout the year and draw you to nature for relaxation.
Taking shelter
Having young children ourselves, my wife Sophie and I have really found the value in our covered decking area. Our kids use it as their play space, so they don’t feel confined to the indoors even on rainy days. The deck is surrounded by house walls on three sides. The fourth side is open, partitioned off with a timber balustrade. The open side faces south and hardly any rain comes in. We see the deck as one of the best features of our home. Plus, there’s nothing nicer than having an outdoor area where you take your cuppa and toast in the morning and read the news with the birds singing around you.
Playing with fire
In reality, fire pits are more about gathering around than heating. People are drawn to fire after dark, and fire pits make a great spot to sit around and talk when you’ve invited friends and family to your house.
Fire pits that are properly built-in do take up quite a bit of space that can’t be used for anything else.
If a fire pit appeals, it’s worth checking out some of the more affordable portable versions. That way, when you’re not using it, you can stash it in the garage or shed and use the space for something else. You’ll need a paved area to put it on, as hot coals or burning wood might fall out and damage your lawn.
Keeping things private
Straight lines, a single type of plant… it’s a simple plan and one that most people who can work a shovel can do. Here’s how to DIY your own hedging.
You’ll need
● Plants – how many will depend on the desired length of your hedge and the growth habit of the plant you have chosen. Check with your local nursery or garden expert if you are unsure.
● Shovel.
● Compost or a slow-release fertiliser.
● Seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser – 2-3 litres will make up more than enough for a decent-sized hedge.
● Watering can.
● Hedge clippers or electric shears.
How to do it
Mark out where each plant will go. I usually sit the plants in place in their pots until I’m happy with their spacing.
Dig the holes for planting. Each hole will need to be slightly larger than the pot the plant came in. Remember, planting the plants closer together will make them grow into each other more quickly, so they’ll form a dense hedge or privacy screen more rapidly and then will start growing taller to your desired height.
Put a handful of compost (or slow release fertiliser) into each of the holes.
Carefully tip a plant out of its pot, then carefully tease out the roots with your fingers to free them up a little. Place the plant into its hole, then move the soil that’s already been dug out back into the hole to fill it. Press the soil down gently. Repeat with all plants.
Dilute some seaweed solution in a watering can (the label will outline how much to add to each litre of water), then apply some to each of the plants.
Give your plants a few months to grow, then start trimming them, in a straight line across the top, to form the shape of the hedge. As a general guide, trim the hedge about three to five times a year – or more often if you’re trying to maintain a smaller height and width.
Add your own flair
Large glazed pots, the sort you use as a feature element in a garden or courtyard, aren’t always budgetfriendly. However it is possible to buy plain terracotta or concrete pots and decorate them yourself.
Full frontal
As city sections decrease in size, you may find you have more usable space in your front yard than at the back of your house.
Planting a mature tree will give you an instant focal point. Plus, if it happens to be a productive variety, such as a lemon or lime, it might even become a neighbourhood feature when the tree bears fruit and people pop by to share your excess produce.
There’s also no reason why you can’t set up a café table and chairs or a few beautiful Adirondack chairs on the verandah, or in a spot that catches the sun in the morning.