TOWN & COUNTRY
Keeping up appearances in the garden
David likes plants that can be clipped and doesn’t stop at buxus or the slow-growing camellias he uses for hedges. In this garden you’ll find some most unusual topiaries, including a number of pohutukawa sporting wedding cake shapes. “The different plants provide the structure for gardens leading to other gardens, balancing them out and linking them together.”
One of Jürgen’s major contributions to this process was the substantial rock wall he built to create a framework for the different areas. It replaced what David refers to as “a sinister pittosporum hedge” and it took six months to build. “I’d stopped smoking, otherwise I could never have done it,” Jürgen admits.
The wall pleases both of them, despite their differing garden styles. Jürgen likes the messy look with one plant growing into another, while David prefers more control. “We have our different areas,” Jürgen says drily.
The next area he has in his sights is the wetland area, where he plans to mastermind some strictly native planting. “The swamp is looking after itself at the moment but I would like to develop it further.”
David still has numerous projects to complete, but he’s over trying to get the garden finished. “I just want to continue to develop it until it’s how I first imagined it would look.”