NATIVE BEAUTY
This Lake Wakatipu landscape beat 131 other projects from around the country to take out the Supreme ‘Landscaper of the Year’ Award at the 2022 New Zealand Landscapes of Distinction Awards. Lakeside Bob’s
Cove Retreat features 98 per cent native planting and is designed to support resident populations of jewelled gecko, tūī and fantails that had been stifled by introduced pest species.
The judging panel praised Bob’s Cove retreat for...
its strong connection and contribution to the wider environment of beech forest, grey shrubland and wetlands. “Bob’s Cove Retreat has become a place to recharge for people, but also for native wildlife. As plants grow and mature in the space, the wider environment will breathe easier, and the many birds will make it their home.”
The project embodies strong environmental practices such as local sourcing of seed and mulch from wind-felled trees, pest control, reuse of onsite resources, water management, and client education. “During the development process, the client has become an eco-warrior, with a great desire to continue the pest weed clean up on the adjoining Te Papa Atawhai (Department of Conservation) land. Turning a non-gardener client into an eco-warrior can only be done on a site like this, where the wairua (spirit) of the site captivates all who connect with it.”
The designer responded To a Brief for...
a place to reconnect with nature and enhance the local environment. More than 4500 plants went in initially five years ago, predominantly large drifts of red and silver tussock with red beech, mountain beech, lancewoods, mānuka, flaxes, South Island toetoe, hebes, astelias and ferns. More watertolerant species have since been added, including Carex secta, oioi (Apodasmia similis) and Carex virgata.
“The site experiences extremes of rain, drought, wind, harsh afternoon summer highs, hoar frosts and snow. Hardiness and plant species selection was critical to success,” said designer Bryce Coulter of Green Therapy.
“It’s a pretty cool mix now and we were very happy that the award judges were finding it hard to distinguish where the property ended and the DOC reserve started.”