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andaroundthereliablePhilodendron‘Xanadu,’whilethewholespace
is unified by a luminescent carpet ofDichondra argentea‘Silver Falls.’
“[Becausethegardenisanentryspace]wewantedtoworkatthe
ground plane and at knee [level], but keep the shoulder and eye line
open to visually connect the series of garden rooms that are formed
bytheshapeofthedwelling,”saysDan.
Travertinepavers–anodtothemodernistvernacularofthe
house–havebeenplacedoverconcreteonesandaloosebedof
sandstone river pebbles covers the surrounding soil. A giant imperial
bromeliad (Alcantarea imperialis)hasbeenmadetheheroofthespace
through the careful selection of neighbouring plants that accentuate
itsstrikingformandflamboyanthues.I’mnotusuallyafan of
bromeliads, but the composition of this one surprised me.
A smart, black aluminium pool fence runs between the entry
courtyard and the pool and lounge area, which is more open to
thesky.“Wewantedtocelebratethebarrierofthepoolfenceas a
threshold between two distinctly different spaces,” says Jade.
On the southern side of the pool a more contemporary outdoor
showerandarbourstructurehasbeenbuiltoveranewdeck,
featuring integrated seating. A steel skeleton provides support for
timber rafters that run along the roof and three sides, with voids left
in the rear wall where key views to surrounding suburbs are framed.
Thestructure,alsopaintedblack,willsoonbecoveredoverbylady
slipper vine (Thunbergia mysorensis) and adorned with its elegant
orange-red flowers.
With enough separation in grade between the deck and the play
lawnbelow,apoolfencewasavoided.Inthisthirdspaceorgarden
room,aslightlysurrealtakeonthesuburbanbackyardhasbeen
created–thinkofworkbyIanStrangeorHowardArkley–wherea
flatlawnisboundbyablackpalingfenceandtheonly features are
a clothesline and a square sandpit filled with toys.
As we wrap up our visit a refreshing breeze blows through the
garden from the north. The three-to-four-metre pink trumpet tree
(Tabebuia palmeri)growingthroughtheentryarbourbeautifully
capturesthesoundofthebreezewithitsopencanopyofrounded
leaves. It’s this attention to detail, where even the aural qualities of
foliageareaconsideration,thatmakesthisgardenadelight.It’sclear
that the close collaboration between architect and landscape architect
has produced a home and garden that are highly pragmatic and yet
dynamic, textural and diverse.