Small space gardens made easy
In any space, at any age, or any stage, gardening is always fun and rewarding.
It’s almost 10 years since Vivien Papich moved from Bellevue – the family home with a large garden in Northland’s Langs Beach, which she’d lovingly developed over decades - along with her late husband Daniel. Vivien’s destination was Jane Mander Retirement Village in Whangarei, a warm and welcoming environment where she was quick to make her new apartment truly her own.
“I feel as if I’ve said this many times before, but it’s still the best thing I’ve ever done,” Vivien says, revealing that she’s recently marked a major milestone 80th birthday. As the daughter of accomplished designers, Vivien used inherited flair to create an elegant and inviting interior, based around her favourite decorating colours: black, white and green before skilfully extending that classic palette to the large balcony outside.
“I didn’t do too much last year - for health reasons, but this summer I’m planning to make it look nice and dramatic again,” she says.
One of Vivien’s firm favourites, Ligularia reniformis, featured prominently at Bellvue. Sometimes referred to as ‘the tractor seat plant’, Ligularia reniformis doesn’t like high temperatures and it wilts easily, so she’s had to give up on this particular genre.
Now, Vivien concentrates on her old favourites: succulents, euphorbias, sansevierias, along with bold palms – including kentia (Howea fosteriana) varieties.
“As a gardener you’re always fighting disease, or the elements, and you need to be able to adapt in order to deal with both of those factors as they affect you.”
Vivien believes at her age, cutting a few corners is perfectly acceptable and she has embraced artificial foliage, which helps keep work to a minimum on her balcony, interspersing quality replicas with the real thing. “Modern artificial plants are often amazingly realistic and these days there are specifically designed, outdoor ones, which can handle UV rays. They even have torn leaves that look completely natural - and my plastic Buxus hedging could fool anybody!”
Vivien has a policy of less is more, having noticed that a handful of big, bold plants in large pots tend to be much more effective than lots of small ones.
She says Jane Mander Village is home to many other plant lovers and the communal gardens there are popular meeting spaces.
“They’re kept immaculately, and the head gardeners here do a wonderful job,” says Vivien. “Obviously, I like to maintain my own garden as well, but there are others here who get all of their pleasure from our shared spots - and that’s just lovely.”
Other village residents also grow their own produce – including tomatoes and lettuces or sometimes even just herbs, such as parsley, mint, chives and basil. Vivien says that giving and sharing in the garden space is an integral part of the culture at Ryman villages.
Aussie landscape guru and co-founder of award-winning company Landart, Matt Leacy, says that he’s definitely in agreement with Vivien Papich’s ‘less is more’ approach.
“First of all, I’ll suggest that small space gardeners sit down and make careful plans, taking the seasons and the aspect into account.”
“It’s also essential to consider the surrounding landscape objectively, when developing a small garden – for example, if everything around is dry and arid, a subtropical theme probably isn’t appropriate!
Matt says that modern outdoor spaces need to be multitasking zones and when it comes to maximising the area available, he urges gardeners to think creatively.
“Outdoor rugs can make a balcony feel more like a room, while mirrors can enhance a sense of space. When designing a thin courtyard or balcony, don’t reveal the entire space at once. Angle the decking, play with paving patterns, and position potted plants to draw the eye to different parts of your space upon entry.”
Like Vivien, Matt says that substantial statement plants can often work out better when working with small outdoor spaces.
“Playing with scale and size is important. Positioning large things in small spaces can create the illusion that a space is bigger and provides a sense of drama.”
This also points to the fact that “levelling is a great way to divide an area into different zones for a more expansive feel. From different height planters to wall climbers to hanging pots.”
Although Vivien Papich has already perfected her balcony design, she is eagerly awaiting the arrival of summer and the prospect of new garden creations. Better still, at Jane Mander Village the maintenance and other chores are all taken care of, meaning Vivien has more time to while away those hazy summer days doing what she loves the most.