Table of contents for Issue#16.4 2018 in Backyard and Outdoor Living

Danny and his wife Carolyn have lived near Murgon in south-east Queensland for 15 years. Both have a passion for art; while Carolyn loves to draw and paint, Danny creates installations for the garden using recycled materials. He especially loves to collect old electricity post insulators and install them as garden decor. Danny feels sentimental about burning the old timber. “It’s too sad to burn history,” he says. He’s fascinated by the antique ceramic insulators and says the workmanship in them is incredible. “They look as good as new — I wish I looked as good at 60 years old,” he jokes. FOR THE LOVE OF BEES Danny hesitates to admit that bees are his passion, but he’s a dedicated member of Valley Bees, a very active and knowledgeable bee…

FORM AND FUNCTION When it comes to your backyard, blending style and practicality is of utmost importance. This incredible home in Pauanui, New Zealand, by Jessop Architects is anything but your average outdoor space. It provides ample room for entertaining, while the open-plan interior beckons the outdoors in. The addition of durable furniture means alfresco dining is always on the cards. This is outdoor living at its best. jessoparchitects.co.nz THE GREAT OUTDOORS This incredible backyard has us dreaming of warm nights and cool drinks. A contemporary design and elegant furnishings turn a simple space into a stylish and modern getaway. The addition of the pool also adds a splash of refreshment and luxury. Here’s proof that you don’t need a lot of land to make a big impact. gomodern.co.uk YOU…

Ensuring an easy flow from inside to out is always a priority when designing a garden, as is capturing pleasing vistas that can be enjoyed when looking out from the home. Such was the case with this renovated Californian bungalow, the rear wall of which featured expansive bifold glass doors. “The garden can be viewed from almost anywhere in the house, chiefly the kitchen, lounge room and central corridor, as well as from different points within the garden itself,” says landscape architect Nick Kennedy from Art in Green. “The goal was to make the rear garden design work from all those different angles.” Starting with the space directly outside the lounge room, there is a minimalist central courtyard complementing the modern interior. The courtyard boasts mounded beds of Korean temple…

Gardens with a compelling classical undertone are always in favour. There is something timeless about them and they have a restrained elegance that ensures they transcend passing fads and changing trends. This garden in Seaforth, north of Sydney, is a melodious mix of classic and contemporary notes that strike a pitch-perfect chord, thanks to the expertise of designer Matt Leacy, founder of Landart Landscapes + Pools. “The homeowners’ brief was to create a functional, free-flowing space for the family and their friends,” explains Matt. “Places to play, swim and entertain were a necessity. In terms of the design, it has a lot of classic elements with a simple, refined palette of materials and plants. There are definitely contemporary elements as well, though.” Creating a seamless indoor-outdoor transition, the home’s bifold…

When it comes to trees, a decision in haste can lead to a lifetime of regret. Many trees grow more beautiful generation after generation. Others have the potential to create decades of trouble, dropping messy fruit or bothersome sticks. So take your time and select the tree that offers the best combination of qualities you will enjoy. Thankfully, there’s the Fleming’s Group — one of Australia’s most diverse horticultural companies with three businesses under its family brand: Fleming’s Landscapes, Fleming’s Nurseries and Birdwood Nursery. Each business not only grows the trees and plants that make a gorgeous garden, but create high-end and commercial landscapes from design to completion. Begin your selection process by asking: Why do I want a tree? For shade? Privacy? Aesthetic appeal? Most importantly, assess the site…

Timber provides a way to enhance any home or garden, as well as a commercial or retail property. Hardwood timber can be used to create comfortable, attractive and flexible features ranging from internal flooring to outside decking and beams. When renovating a home, you eventually come to that pivotal point in the design process when you have to choose your flooring and decking. Enter Abbey Timber. Trading since 1976, Abbey Timber is a family-owned Australian business with more than 40 years’ industry experience. The company specialises in the supply of timber products and building materials, including timbers for decking and flooring. With the largest range of decking timber available on the east coast, Abbey Timer offers more than 25 different types of timber in several sizes and grades, so you’re…

For instant tropical or resort-style appeal, it’s hard to go past the allure of bamboo screening. Whether you’ve gone for a Balinese-themed backyard or just want to add a touch of the exotic to your garden, bamboo screening is the ideal choice. Bamboo screening can be used in a broad array of ways — as cladding on an existing fence, to screen out neighbours, as an architectural feature or as the perfect backdrop to tropical foliage plants or a garden bed full of flowers. And if you’re looking for a backdrop for a sculpture or water feature, bamboo screening is perfect for that too. Infinity Panels specialises in high-quality, low-maintenance black bamboo screening panels. Black bamboo adds a richness of colour to a garden or alfresco living space and is…

If it’s not the insect population or four-legged marsupials, it’s some plant disease or virus attacking your prize edibles and floral delights in the garden. What are the key problems we have to deal with at this time, and how do we go about eradicating them — or preventing them taking hold in the first place — without using nasty chemicals? Here are some of the most common fungal diseases that home gardeners often come across in their patch. ANTHRACNOSE This disease is a serious problem, requiring both pre- and post-harvest sprays. The main species the home gardener has to worry about is Colletotrichum spp. It will affect mangoes, avocadoes, tomatoes, passionfruit, capsicums, chillies, bananas and a large range of tropical crops. Symptoms include a variety of black spots: recessed…

The common name you use for Capsicum annuum is an indicator of where you grew up. In Australia they are known as capsicums, but in many other parts of the world they’re referred to as peppers, bell peppers or even sweet chilli peppers. In some languages they’re called paprika, which we know as the powdered spice made from the fruit of capsicums. This confusion of names arises because capsicums are part of the same botanical group as the fiery chilli. Despite the name pepper, they are not related to the peppercorn, which is the seed of a tropical vine. Chillies and capsicums are part of the large Solanaceae family. SWEET NOT HOT The heat in chillies comes from the chemical capsaicin, which produces a burning sensation if eaten or touched,…

YAAAS QUEENSLAND The Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) announced the winners of the 2018 Queensland Landscape Architecture Awards at an event in Brisbane in June this year. The awards acknowledged 28 winners over 12 categories, celebrating leading projects of all sizes across regional and metropolitan Queensland. The annual awards program acknowledges the growing impact of landscape architecture on the spaces we inhabit. It also recognises projects that stand out for their innovative approaches that push the boundaries of design, or are considered to be of state significance. aila.org.au LIT UP At Backyard magazine we are all about the rustic look and a little bit of DIY. That’s why we are swooning over this image from The Normans Wedding Venue in York in the United Kingdom. With a few burlap…

Overflowing with plants and skilfully carved into a series of intriguing spaces, this rooftop garden is a place of sanctuary, which is rather surprising given its elevated and exposed position. Designed by BENT Architecture and built by MRU Constructions, the garden sits atop the Phoenix tower, a slender high-rise apartment block in the midst of Melbourne. “The Phoenix rooftop garden is a green refuge in the unlikeliest of places — 30 stories high, on an exposed yet spectacular site in the heart of Melbourne,” says Merran Porjazoski, director of BENT Architecture. “Our clients wanted to take a slice of their suburban backyard with them as they downsized to an inner-city apartment. They’ve achieved that, with postcard views as a bonus.” While keenly aware that creating an outdoor living space in…

The concept of the “she shed” — an outdoor studio for the woman of the house — is rapidly gaining favour. This garden, designed by Olaf von Sperl from Adore My Garden, has a “she shed” that has already gained national and international renown. Earlier this year, it was featured on Channel 9’s Today morning show and it was nominated for the Houzz website’s global search for The Ultimate “She Shed”. The art studio is the focal point of the garden, which is awash with quirky, imaginative touches and dotted with the artist’s own sculptures. “To start with, we had a very stark, uncared-for basic garden area. Our goal was to turn it into a personalised oasis that reflected the personality of the owner, a talented, free-thinking artist,” explains Olaf.…

Within the garden space, structure is irrefutably significant in embedding a house within its environment. An existing mass of lawn was all that softened this home in the inner-Melbourne suburb of Malvern. The house was positioned on an upward-sloping block on a prominent main road and floated above and completely dominated its surrounds. Jane Jones Landscapes was engaged by the owners to envision a landscape design that would nestle the house within its context and complement its unique architectural features. Designer Jane Jones approached this task by introducing a series of layered terraces, which have a dual purpose of creating privacy from the street and defining a welcoming entrance route that now meanders around a picturesque reclaimed fountain. The existing brickwork features, including the central circular steps and paved rear,…

To feel well, you need to eat well — and there is nothing as important to our health as a diet rich in fresh, healthy veggies, herbs and fruit. The best way to have a ready supply of nutrient-rich seasonal edibles is to grow your own — in raised garden beds, pots, vertical gardens or in the ground. Regardless of the size of your outdoor space, or your level of gardening expertise, it is possible to grow produce you can use for cooking, preserving or sharing with friends and neighbours. While improved taste and guaranteed freshness are prime benefits, so is the ability to grow what you like — and be a little experimental growing new and unusual varieties for special recipes or just for fun. Saving money is another.…

Whatever conditions summer deals out, we all crave some simple solutions to help grow fantastic, healthy gardens and lawns. We also aim to minimise the effects adverse weather conditions have on our backyards. Earthlife, a company based in Toowoomba, Queensland, has developed simple solutions with 100-per-cent natural minerals and humates that help toughen and condition plants to resist pests and deliver nutrient-dense fruit and vegetables — all while creating a sustainable and contaminant-free soil environment. Combining an action of first breaking the water-repellent crust that forms on all soil types, then conditioning the soil and finally creating a pool of nutrients in that soil, Earthlife microbial rock mineral products restore essential minerals and biology to help create a landscape that allows the plants in the garden to grow. Less watering…

Do it tough and do it right — that’s how the team at Tufright get things done, with a superior and environmentally friendly range of composite decking and cladding. As well as loving the earth, Tufright products are durable, non-slip and moisture and termite resistant. Plus there’s no need for oiling, painting or resealing and even less concern about warping, fading and chipping. Tufright uses an existing or new decking frame to lay its low-maintenance composite boards that require little more than the occasional sweep and hose-down to keep them looking fresh and new. Guaranteed not to split or crack, and with no exposed nails to trip you up or split your toes, composite boards are the hottest trend in alfresco design. Tufright composite decking boards are made from 60…

When it comes to garden edging, you need a product that is strong, versatile and weather resistant — and you can’t get anything that fits the bill better than steel. The FormBoss range of no-maintenance steel garden edging lets you be the boss of your own garden design. FormBoss offers a large array of easy-to-install domestic and commercial-grade steel edging solutions ranging from flush edges to 400mm-high retaining walls. You also have a choice of galvanised steel, ZAM (exclusive-looking and ultra-durable) or Redcor steel (that boasts a weathered finish), and various gauges to ensure the edging is the appropriate strength for your landscaping project. FormBoss edging systems allow you to create curves and angles with ease and, thanks to the rounded top edge and hidden stakes and connectors, the finished…

Roses are usually grown for their flowers. Good gardeners regularly prune away spent rose flowers to keep the plants in bloom from spring to autumn. However, if the flowers are left on the plant, many go on to form a fruit called a rose hip. This small, round, green fruit ripens to red in autumn. It contains rose seeds and is full of nutrients. Rose hips are particularly rich in vitamin C and may be used in cordials and tonics to boost nutrition. BEST CHOICES While most roses form hips, some varieties and species are more reliable as well as more attractive. Hedging and wild roses such as dog rose (Rosa canina) and briar rose (R. rubiginosa) naturally produce large numbers of red or orange rose hips. Rugosa roses also…

PIZZA TIME Outdoor areas are as much about eating as they are socialising, so you’ll need to allow for both activities. The Pizzaiolo wood-fired pizza oven is not only a superb cooking facility, it’s also a classic garden feature and an entertainment unit all in one. The piece has been designed to cook virtually anything, from freshly baked breads and roast meats to even fish with that unmistakable wood-fired taste. It is essential that the oven floor can withstand and maintain very high temperatures, so the company has used volcanic lava from Mount Etna in Sicily to ensure efficient results. The solid lava rock slab base heats very quickly but cools slowly for incredible fuel efficiency. lifestylebbqs.com PERFECT CONTAINERS If you’re looking for creativity in your backyard, these planters are…

EVERY DAY’S A HOLIDAY When designing their gardens, many people take inspiration from their favourite holiday destination. That might be a resort in some far-flung location or it might well be somewhere closer to home, like Byron Bay in New South Wales. Burrowed deep within the coastal town’s market precinct and set across from a nature reserve, The Barefoot Bay Cottage is a boutique holiday house with a delightful surprise — an open-air bathing area. This is located on the property’s huge, covered wrap-around deck, just off the master bedroom. For this space, multi-disciplinary design studio The Designory selected a curvy white Oman bathtub by Apaiser and teamed it with an elongated Pinch floor-mounted tap in graphite from Rogerseller. For a place to rest a glass of something chilled, there…

Benarkin Primary State School, near Blackbutt, an hour-and-a-half north-west of Brisbane, has had a gardening program for eight years now involving an average of 24 students in classes K–6. This beautiful and resourceful kitchen-garden education facility is under the watchful eye of Chris James, a leading teacher aide and passionate folk artist, gardener and educator. Chris grew up on a dairy farm in Buderim and has always had a connection to nature and soil through gardening. The school garden is a reflection of Chris’s wealth of horticultural knowledge. This school is incorporating the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program and received a $60,000 government grant to purchase raised garden beds, connect the garden to a drip-irrigation system and build a beautiful kitchen. However, once the funding ran out, the program needed…

Mention the French Riviera and thoughts turn to people lazing on Mediterranean beaches, a crystal-blue sky overhead and luxury yachts moored nearby. Places like St Tropez and Cannes come to mind, as do luxury resorts with swimming pools to die for. That was the inspiration behind the design of this outdoor entertaining area and what motivated the homeowners to name their coastal property “La Riviera”. Originally, design duo Beverley Harrison and Debbie Taylor of Mondo Landscapes were called in to create a planting plan that would ensure the new home, nestled in Madora Bay, a 50-minute drive south of Perth, would be cosseted by beautiful resort-style gardens. Before long, however, the brief developed into something much more substantial and, for Beverley and Debbie, much more rewarding. “As the project evolved,…

A steeply sloping block may be a challenge, but it also presents an opportunity to create something truly amazing. The owners of this property looked to Nathan Boutros of Iconic Design & Landscaping to take the previously inaccessible lowest level of their rear garden and turn it into a gathering space — in short, a destination point. Moreover, it needed to be easy to access and the journey from the house down to the bottom of the garden an enriching sensory experience. The bespoke tropical resort-style garden responds to the needs of the owners and the specifics of the site with precision, starting with the pavilion built at the garden’s lowermost level. Open on all sides and embraced by flourishing foliage, this is a place where the owners can unwind…

Imagine settling into the comfy embrace of a deep-seated modular outdoor lounge, a designer rug beneath your feet, stylish scatter cushions at your back and a coffee table before you. Or how about sidling up to a good friend on a bench seat pulled up to a timber-topped outdoor dining table? Maybe your dream outdoor experience takes place on a large beanbag on a sunny patch of lawn, or stretched out on a lounger by the pool, the canopy of a cantilevered umbrella keeping the UV rays at bay and a side table keeping your wine glass within arm’s reach. Selecting outdoor furniture isn’t just about finding pieces that will weather the elements (as essential as that is), nor is it about making sure the colours coordinate with your decorating…

Having a lush green lawn is basically the Australian dream. With weekend barbecues and kids’ parties on the go, and that feeling of walking around barefoot on the grass, the benefits of having a beautiful green lawn might seem endless — and that’s because they are. If you're thinking about planting a new lawn but don’t know where to start, that's because not all lawns are the same. As with other plants, you need to consider important factors like climate, soil type, water and maintenance. After all the effort it takes to plan a great outdoor space, it’s important to purchase a top-of-the-line turf to complete the lawn. Thanks to My Home Turf, this is now possible. My Home Turf aims to deliver good looks, hard-wearing turf and a great…

There’s no doubt the backyard gets a lot more use during the warmer months. You can create a safe and engaging outdoor space that not only looks great, but that kids can enjoy throughout the holidays and beyond. You don’t need to compromise your outdoor aesthetic to ensure a safe and fun backyard; with smart and strategic landscape design you can achieve both — and it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. SOFTEN SURFACES If you have kids running around frequently, it’s worth looking at how you can soften surfaces to decrease the chance and severity of damage that can come with falls, accidents and the like. Cut back trees and plants with sharp branches and consider introducing some soft plantings, hedges and groundcovers to act…

Lots of people adore ducks. They love their daffy behaviour, comical gait and irrepressible delight in water play. Ducks are not for everyone, though, especially people living in densely packed inner cities. But if you admire their joie de vivre, have snails everywhere in the garden and are lucky enough to have a leafy area in the backyard, away from neighbours, then ducks will bring hours of pleasure. SMALL IS SENSIBLE Like fowls, ducks come in varied sizes and shapes. Bantams have no large counterpart but miniatures have been bred down from standard-sized breeds. Why have a massive Pekin, as impressive as they are, when you could feed and keep several small bantams or miniatures? They eat less, require less room, and their activity and athleticism result in fewer leg…