Landscape 101: How to give yonudr garden the holiday vibe

There is a man in suburban Christchurch who wanted a holiday vibe all year round so he turned his backyard into an island paradise, with a fibreglass cliff tumbling down his garage wall, complete with a real waterfall, a thatched bure for his cocktail bar, lashings of palm trees and even a little sandy beach (sans ocean).

An extreme makeover but it did illustrate his point very effectively: that a domestic garden can also be a wonderful place to relax in and to escape all the cares of the everyday world. And, that with a little imagination, you can get many of the joys of holidaying without ever leaving your street.

Of course, this depends on what your ideal holiday destination and activities are. Our man in suburbia knew he wasn’t going to be able to snorkel and bathe in sultry waters as he was wont to do abroad, but he did get to enjoy the sights and sounds of swaying palms and splashing water as he sat at his outdoor bar drinking cocktails.

Another, less dramatic way to embrace a summer holiday vibe is to have somewhere in the garden that is not overlooked by neighbours or by passersby; one spot out of the wind where you can truly relax, somewhere to lie or sit in the sun – or under the shade of a tree – and enjoy a book alone or a drink with friends. Somewhere with comfortable seating or just a blanket spread out over the grass to picnic at home on.

Adventure tourists may prefer a slice of woodland, where all sight of man-made structures are obliterated by trees. Here the rustle of the leaves, the rich earthy smells and the joyous birdsong can transport one to another place.

The possibilities are many.