Blending in with nature

Wild and windswept, with trees pruned asymmetrically by years of fierce northerlies, Wellington’s rural hilltops contrast starkly with the nearby urban fabric. This garden seeks to integrate this new home into the rugged landscape, with planting to create elegant transitions from the open pastoral hilltops into sheltered and beautiful courtyard gardens framing the house.

Sweeps of toetoe and wind grass blur the sharp lines of boundary fences, dancing dramatically in the gusting winds. Mass planting of wharariki (mountain flax) and snow tussock frame views of the valley and hills beyond.

The front entrance and courtyard garden is framed by drifts of grasses, herbs, and perennials, creating a wild meadow of flowering plants that soften the approach to the house. Once inside, views reveal sheltered and lush gardens where ferns and drifts of groundcovers lead the eye to the expansive landscape.

Private decks extend from the bedrooms, with shrubby kōwhai and rengarenga framing the views. The house opens out to a level lawn nestled by layers of grasses and perennials, providing space for the whole family with a slide and a trampoline subtly integrated.

This garden embraces its rural setting while creating moments of beauty and seasonal change to contrast with the dramatic Wellington landscape.