Take a new path to build a walkway

winter it can look quite raw and architectural with the trunks and branch without foliage. I’ve always felt in the winter the silver birch trunks are quite artistic in their form. In spring it comes to life, it’s a paradise, out of the wind, with a mass of bird life from sea birds to native birds, it’s just a delight.

‘‘The magnolia is beautiful in flower and then we have hedged areas like the camellia hedge that surrounds a fountain, a semi-circle of standard roses framed by buxus and a pergoda with seating that overlooks the lawn.’’

The Egley-Turner family have expanded the garden they inherited when they bought the home and acreage on the rise above the inlet. They have continued the formality of the garden, the buxus hedging and carpet roses and expanded the cultivated area by adding a Japanese themed garden with boulders and four feature acer trees.

‘‘The buxus and carpet roses are on either side of the house so they greet visitors along with the Japanese area. It’s also a garden with many natives, planted to cope with the wind,’’ says Caroline Egley-Turner.

‘‘What many of our guests find a surprise is the wetlands pond away from the house, beyond the pasture and grazing sheep. It backs on to the adjacent wetlands, an area that attracts ducks and ducklings and even black swans. It’s a paradise with camellias, a real haven and a place we all like to go to, for the wildlife and beauty.’’

The third garden in the trio neighbouring the Egley-Turner’s belongs to Judy Preston and family. Rotopiko is a much-loved and nurtured garden that surrounds a pool and extends out to the pizza oven and petanque area with huge views over the inlet.

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