Great outdoors
The backyards of rugby stars
There’s not much of a chance for former All Black Andy Ellis to head into the garden these days.
Living two-thirds of the year in a Japanese apartment, while playing for Kobe’s Kobelco Steelers, has given the landscaping enthusiast an even greater appreciation of New Zealand’s great outdoors.
‘‘We’re in a small apartment with a small balcony. I’m trying to grow a tomato plant, but it’s 30 degrees so they’re starting to wilt on me. That’s about the extent of it at the moment,’’ laughed Ellis, who’s been based in Japan with his wife Emma, children Scarlett, 8, and Arthur, 3, for five seasons.
Earlier this year Ellis, who is half-way through a landscape architecture degree, and who has competed in the Ellerslie International Flower Show, went back to his roots during rugby’s off season and wrote his newly released book Kiwi
Back Yard. Here’s a peek at what’s inside the pages:
Richie and Gemma McCaw: the inner-city sanctuary
Even if you don’t have much space, time or desire for a garden, it’s still possible to create a welcoming little oasis around your inner-city home without too much effort. There’s something immensely rewarding about being able to see a glimpse of green – no matter how small.
Richie McCaw and his wife, Gemma, have a lovely home in the city that makes clever use of space. Given Richie and Gemma’s love of the outdoors, it was important to them to have their backyard set up to welcome nature into their home.
As a result, they’ve got several large bi-folding doors that they can open up completely. These doors do a great job of making it feel as though you’re outside even when you’re sitting inside, as well as maintaining a sense of privacy. The easy transition to the outdoors also makes entertaining in the barbecue area a breeze.
Israel Dagg: the non-gardener’s garden
Izzy and his wife, Daisy, are great hosts, so it’s not surprising that their home is set up for epic social gatherings.
I’ve been to many a barbecue at the Dagg household, and their impressive deck area is always put to great use. Daisy normally cooks up something sensational, while Izzy dishes out plenty of banter at the barbecue. Their place is a fine example of an unpretentious, welcoming Kiwi home with a yard big enough for the kids to run around in, yet small enough that it doesn’t require too much work.
It’s lucky Izzy is a good host and that his yard is low-maintenance, because he’s a terrible gardener! I won’t let him live down the fact that Daisy and her father built the raised vegetable garden without his help, and I’m still shocked that he can’t point out which of the flowers are tulips.
The non-gardener’s garden requires very little upkeep and even less gardening knowledge, but it’s also a great space for entertaining. It’s mostly hard surfaces, with only a small lawn and plants that don’t need much attention.
There is something to be said for keeping a garden simple no matter what your gardening skills. It can be tempting to overcrowd a garden with plants and features, but if you keep things minimal it allows the colour and form of each element to stand out.
There is something to be said for keeping a garden simple no matter your gardening skills.
Ex All Black coach Wayne Smith and his wife, Trish
Another great example of smart use of space is the backyard of my mate, Wayne Smith, and his wife, Trish.
Trish is the mastermind behind their extremely well-conceived backyard.
A common misconception is that you need a big sweep of lawn to create a proper green space, but Trish’s garden shows how you can achieve a lush feel in a smaller section with clever planting.
She’s created lovely depth through layering: low hedging below a row of bushy plants, with pruned hedges beyond and established trees rising above – to give just one example.
A good strategy for a limited area is to create the illusion of space.
This plan achieves that effect through a combination of clever planting and the creation of three separate, secluded areas.
In a small garden hemmed in by high walls, don’t forget that all the air space above your head comes with no price tag attached.
The yard where Dan Carter learned to kick
A classic Kiwi farm I’ve been fortunate to visit is that of my good mate Dan’s parents. Bev and Neville Carter’s farm has become somewhat synonymous with their son and his impressive ability to kick a ball. Dan’s family home represents all the great attributes we associate with a classic Kiwi upbringing: plenty of fresh air, the ability to get close to nature, and the space to kick a ball.
The Carters’ property was also a great reminder of everything that inspires my passion for gardening. As Kiwis, our backyards are not just an area out the back of our house, but a space we use to express our personalities. In the Carters’ case, there’s the set of rugby posts that Nev got Dan for his eighth birthday.
Nev told me all about how Dan would spend hours kicking a ball over those posts. To this day, the posts remain in the Carters’ backyard as a reminder of the joy and rewards they resulted in.