ABOVESweepingviewsacrossthevalleywere
partoftheappealfortheWilkinsonfamilywhen
theypurchasedtheproperty.BELOW“Ilovethe
individualvariationbetweenplants.Itinspires
me to keep going and to try new things,” says Kurt.a plantI wouldn’thavea yearortwoagobecauseI cansee
howtouseitandwhatbenefitsithas.Beautyissubjective
and,forme,it’sa matterofsomethingliving,creating
interestandbouncingofftheformalelements.
“AsI goalongI becomemoreandmoreattunedto
thegarden,andtheplantsarepartofa feedbackloop
inf luencingthedesign,”Kurtadds.
Italianpencilpines(Cupressussempervirens‘Glauca’)
wereplantedfortheirformand,overtime,Kurthas
experimentedwitha rangeofperennialssuchasverbena,
ScabiosaandCalendula, dispersingseedsthroughoutthe
gardentofillgaps.Thegardenhasdevelopedwitha medley
ofgrasses,succulents,perennials,andsculptedshapes.
“Assoonasyou’retakenoutofyourcomfortzone,you
startpushingyourselfandlearningthingsthatyouwere
neverawareof,”hesays.“Itrialleda numberofnativeplants
thatI thoughtI couldturnintoballs,domesorconesto
createinterest.Thegardenplancontinuallychangeswhen
I’minthegardenandseedifferentpossibilities.Itreally
hasbeenanevolution.
“Theideasformygardenkeepf lowing.I lovethe
individualvariationbetweenplants.Asmygardenchanges
everymonthitinspiresmetokeeptryingnewthings.I’m
lookingforsplashesofcolourallthroughtheyear,especially
whenthegardentendstogeta littlewashedoutinsummer.”
Thegardenisa havenfortheWilkinsonchildrento
exploreafterschool.“It’snicehavingprivacyanda big
spaceforthemtoroam,aswellasspaceforthebirdsand
animals,”Kurtsays.
Hisfavouritetimeislateafternoonwhenthesuncasts
a warmglowoverthegrassseedheadsandthegnarled
silvertrunksoftheeucalypts.“I’moutinthegardenas
muchasI canbe,”Kurtsays.“It’sa bitofanobsession,
especiallywhenthelightisreallygreatorsomethinghas
justf lowered—it’sirresistible.I’mworkingwithnature
andthere’sonlya certaindegreeoftolerance.This garden
hasmademea bettergardenerasa result.”
Follow Kurt on Instagram: @kurt.wilkinsonGARDENONE TREE HILL SOUTH AUSTRALIA
68 COU NTRY ST Y LESEPTEMBER 2019