CLOCKWISE FROM TOPStrelitzia nicholai,
Agave attenuata and a bold clump of
false cardamom (Alpinia nutans) feature
along the covered walkway. Colourful
coleus. The Buddha statue is one of
many in Jill’s collection.H&G GARDENS OF THE YEAR
T
he lush, layered and immersive
beauty of Jill and Kim Robinson’s
garden makes it a worthy winner
of our Garden of the Year competition.
Entering their home is like walking into
a luxury resort set among lush tropical
gardens of the type favoured by high-end
designers. The house and garden are
intrinsically linked, offering a variety of
indoor and outdoor spaces to entertain,
relax and dine.
All of this – from the design to the labour- is the work of this recently retired couple.
Jill’s expertise in design, plant selection
and styling is self-taught, while Kim did
all the construction work, from retaining
walls to the timber boardwalk, pergola,
screens and planter boxes. More surprising
is that the garden is less than three years
old and began life as a bare, sloping block
in a new housing estate. Already, the
neighbours are invisible.
“I sketched the garden design while the
house was being built,” says Jill. “We
wanted to make living in the house like
living in the garden. We brought a
truckload of plants with us from our old
house, particularly bromeliads, as well as
the statues we’ve collected over the years.
“I’ve learned that to have a garden with
wow factor, you have to mass plant,” she
says. “It also cuts down on maintenance.
I still love working in the garden though!”
Near the house are several water
features, focal points from inside and out.
There’s an outdoor room with pizza oven
and barbecue as well as a bar and cosy,
well-appointed sitting area. At night, the
garden feels magical, thanks to the
extensive lighting Kim installed.
It’s no wonder there is a steady stream
of people knocking on the door to ask who
their landscape designer was. >