AUSTRALIAN HOUSE & GARDEN | 127
gardening H G
Still standing
A 50-year-old Camellia sasanqua
is the only plant retained from the
old garden. Raising the level
immediately around the tree
would have killed it, so instead it
became a feature of the sunken
fire pit area. The seat is reclaimed
timber on stainless-steel feet.Old and new
New sandstone flagging from
Gosford Quarries is laid in
pieces ranging in size from
500mm 2 to 1.2m 2. “The new
stone closely colour-matched
the old,” says Peter. “After a
couple of months they blended.”Splashes of texture
This square-cut garden bed
is filled with clipped spheres
of Japanese box (Buxus
microphylla), abutting drifts
of Kalanchoe beharensis
and Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’.
PETER FUDGE
Creative director,
Peter Fudge GardensThe brief
The new owners of this Sydney property
loved the scale of their 500m2 rear
garden and the charming 30-year-old
swimming pool, but saw the potential to
enhance the outdoor space. They asked
Peter to create a more sociable setting.
“The space was divided into two: the
pool was located on one side of
the property, with a lower lawn area
on the other,” says Peter. “it needed to
operate more as one space. They wanted
the garden to be an extension of the
house, where they could eat, entertain,
hang out, garden and swim.”The solution
To unify the garden, Peter raised the
lower level by 400mm to sit flush with
the pool. This involved importing eight
tonnes of soil. The only element
remaining at the lower level is a lovely
old camellia, around which Peter has
created a sunken fire pit. Because
the designer liked the retro feel of the
original sandstone flagging around
the pool, he extended its use
throughout. The plant palette is lush
and eclectic, designed to create “a visual
feast of texture and colour”, says Peter.Designer statement
“The pool, fire pit and entertaining areas
all relate to each other. The consistent
planting palette envelops these elements
to make the garden uniform.” >