PLANTING OPTIONS

SMALL TREES FOR BACK BOUNDARY

Try crab apple (eg Malus ‘Coronet Peak’), weeping pear (Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’), Cercis canadensis

‘Forest Pansy’ or Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’.

WHITE-FLOWERING SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS

Try azalea, Mexican orange blossom (Choisya

ternata), gardenia, helleborus, dwarf hydrangea ‘Snowball’, astilbe, Libertia grandiflora.

LOW HEDGES TO EDGE GARDEN BEDS

For shaded rear boundary try Korean box (Buxus microphylla ‘Koreana’ or ‘Little Gem’), mock box

(Lonicera nitida) or Japanese box holly (Ilex

crenata). For the sunnier eastern boundary try silver germander (Teucrium fruticans), Corokia

‘Geenty’s Green’, Murraya paniculata.

PLEACHED SCREEN FOR EASTERN BOUNDARY

Try olives, golden akeake (Olearia paniculata) which has tiny, scented flowers in autumn, purple akeake (Dodonaea viscosa ‘Purpurea’), Magnolia

figo (syn. Michelia figo), Magnolia gracipes (syn. Michelia gracipes) or one of its cultivars such as ‘Fairy White’ or ‘Bubbles’.

NOTE Most of the plants listed here are suitable for the conditions of this particular site, which is sunny with volcanic soil. These plant suggestions are a guide only. Check them out at your local nursery and ask about their growth rate, height and spread, and whether they’re suitable for your garden’s conditions.