SIMPLE LINES
A GARDEN MAKEOVER HAS FORMED A BACKYARD OASIS THAT CAN BE ENJOYED IN ALL SEASONS
take a pew Casting decorative rays of speckled light onto the bluestone crazy paving is a sublime black steel arbour and floating bench seat. It is surrounded by a pittosporum hedge with a ground cover of perfumed gardenias, and is one of Jenni’s favourite features in the garden. “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” she says. “I thought a real fireplace might be messy, but the ambience is incredible – and it’s really not messy at all. We take a rug out and sit with a glass of red, and it’s perfect” ~ Jenni
WHETHER IT’S CURLING
up in front of a crackling outdoor fire on a chilly winter’s evening or spending an afternoon savouring the sights and smells of spring and summer, there’s always something to enjoy in Jenni’s new garden in Melbourne’s inner-east.
This backyard retreat offers an array of delights year-round. “It has made such a wonderful difference to how we use our home,” says Jenni. Indeed, the decision to fully redesign the outdoor area – including the pool, alfresco zone and verdant space – has opened up the garden to a tranquil new world.
Jenni, who shares her home with her partner, Wayne, and three dogs, Clemie, Jimmie and Molly, explains that the abode’s original outdoor area was in dire need of a face lift. “There was no real design or flow to the garden and no shelter from the sun or cold,” she says.
“It was also looking tired, with sandstone-look concrete paving that had faded and turned a pinkish colour, which clashed with the house.”
Calling in the expertise of Steve Taylor from COS Design, as well as Kube Constructions and Esjay Landscapes, Jenni’s vision was clear. “I wanted simple lines and a beautiful alfresco area that I would be able to use right through summer and winter,” she says. LASER-CUT TREE PANELS
A trio of pretty patterned laser-cut metal panels from Lump Sculpture Studio, is illuminated at night by concealed LED lights (right). Dotted around the side of the garden is an array of different sized spheres of clipped box. “They are traditional plants used in a contemporary way,” says Steve Taylor, the garden’s designer. Black mondo grass offers softness around bluestone stepping-stone pavers. >