Sydney-based landscape designer Michael Bates reckons some gardens just need a nip and tuck – a tightening up and a smoothing out – rather than a complete overhaul. This heritage beauty in Sydney’s northern suburbs is one such example. ‘The most important thing with beautiful old gardens like this is to be considerate of and sensitive to the overall fabric of the space,’ he tells me.
Michael was approached by the garden owners a couple of years ago to help them create a sense of order within the space. They’re very keen gardeners and have been living at the property for many years. The garden had been designed around 20 years ago, and needed re-invigoration, simplification and a few structural tweaks to make it more functional.
First up was the front entry. A series of gravel courts in the front garden and a lack of a clearly defined entry pathway meant that visitors often ended up knocking on the bedroom door, rather than the front door! Michael and his team designed a wide sandstone pathway, winding around an existing weeping cherry tree, and leading visitors directly and clearly to the front door.
Simplification of some of the existing planting was also on the cards. ‘The owners of this garden are collectors,’ Michael tells me. ‘They absolutely love growing plants. Quite often we come across collectors as clients and I see our job as designers of these gardens to assist our clients in turning a collection into a cohesive arrangement.’
Michael and his team achieved cohesion by transplanting some shrubs from the front area into other parts of the garden, and simplifying the layers of planting in the space. They also built a series of low sandstone lawn terraces, to create a sense of repetition throughout the space. Working around the existing mature trees was a challenge – ‘We stitched the terraces into the garden very carefully, being very mindful of the roots of the magnificent old Magnolia soulangeana,’ Michael says. ‘Some of the stone walls had to be re-arranged around roots we found, so as to not damage the integrity of tree.’
Working with committed gardeners is a dream for most landscape designers. Having engaged clients means that a garden will be tended, loved, and most importantly, understood. Gardeners understand that gardens take time, that some plants just die no matter what you do, and that sometimes you’ve got to practice tough love. ‘A bit of chainsaw gardening was required,’ says Michael. ‘We needed to work out what key elements needed to remain, and what things should go, in order to regenerate the garden, create new layers of planting, and let more light into the lower stories.’
A loved garden like this one is like a family heirloom. It’s a treasure handed down from one generation to the next and the next. Guided by the sensitive hand of designer Michael Bates, this gem will continue quietly blooming for many years to come. ‘I’d like to think that when we were finished it was hard to discern where we’d been and where we hadn’t,’ Michael says.
