The garden’s creation was like tackling a jigsaw; with the first piece sorted, everything fell into place
So does another of her favourite features: the pond. It spans 2.5m by 6m, and is home to 16 fish, all of which have been named by Marielle and Andrew’s nieces and nephews.
“In summer the water is warm and plants in there flourish and provide shade for the fish. In winter the plants die back, leaving a different look in their wake; the water is crystal clear.
“I love our water plants. We have white water lilies and white lotuses and I can’t believe how prolific they are,” Marielle says.
The pond also includes ballshaped water fountains. Sitting in the shade house alongside and hearing the sound of the water is a peaceful pass-time they both enjoy.
The couple shares how the shade house – the most recent addition to the garden – came about as a result of an outdoor clock, purchased for them by Andrew’s parents. “We had to hang it somewhere!” he says.
The direct line of vision from house to water touches on plenty of beauty and special features along the way. It’s a trajectory that takes in not only the shade house and pond, but also two cone-shaped conifers, and highly perfumed French lavender under three standardised, white sasanqua camellias, planted in a triangular pattern in accordance with Andrew’s liking for asymmetry. (Previously in the same position were hydrangeas, but these grew too high and were exposed to too much sun so were replaced.)
Everything is strategically placed in this section of the garden, Marielle points out, so as not to impede the best elements of the outlook, and to obscure certain aspects that don’t need to be seen, such as the street signs.
“Looking out from the house and deck, I love this view, and the way the pond seems to bring the sea into our garden, while also transporting the garden into the view beyond,” Marielle says.
More standardised bay trees, euonymus hedging, star jasmine ground cover, and conifers interspersed with camellia trees form the basis of another boundary-hugging garden.
Meanwhile, a plot nearby alongside the deck is a nod to the history of the property. Marielle and Andrew’s home was once the main house on an orchard block, so it’s apposite that a portion of the garden is dedicated to growing fruit trees. There are four – a lime, lemon, peach and nectarine
– with a mass of the hardy and edible orangeberry plant ( Rubus pentalobus) flourishing beneath.
Marielle likens the creation of their garden to a tackling a jigsaw puzzle. With the first piece sorted, other aspects simply fell into place. “It really just evolved,” she says.
The garden is now complete, and Marielle claims it has ticked all the requisite boxes.
“We love our garden. We are both keen on spending time in the garden out in the fresh air connecting with nature. We love seeing the worms, bees, birds, butterflies, and – in our case – fish. We love being in touch with nature, and even little things like watching the birds washing themselves on top of the terracotta balls – although they struggled balancing, none ever fell in. All these things bring joy.”
Since this garden was photographed for NZ Gardener, Marielle and Andrew have shifted house. Their new home is now in Havelock North; a building on a site with just a hedge. Marielle confirms plans are underway for an outdoor room, and she suspects the planting will be very similar. The pond has already been created. History is repeating itself.