A lot of work goes into making a home feel like a home, but more often than not the garden is never mentioned in the process. Though joined at the seam, we tend to think of houses and their gardens as separate entities.
This landscaping project by Fig Landscapes in Binna Burra proves that is not the case. Landscape architect Grant Boyle was engaged by the new owners of a one-acre-block to create a garden around their house: a Queenslander that had been relocated to the rolling green property. Expert landscaping was required to settle the old house into its new surrounds.
‘The clients wanted a focus on low-maintenance natives that had a distinct, relaxed country feel,’ explains Grant of their vision for the country weekender. ‘There was a large focus on growing their own organic food that guests could enjoy, as well as a plunge pool and deck for enjoying the Byron summers.’
Steppers descend from the deck and plunge pool to an adjacent sandy gravel pit, which houses a fire-pit surrounded by a ring of native grasses and sandstone boulders for perching. Here, raw timber and bronzed corten steel were selected for their rustic country feel. Fuzzy tufts of pennisetum cluster around the pool, easing the transition between the structural elements of the layout and the new vegetation.
Grant describes the planting scheme as ‘somewhat of a cottage theme’. Lavender and rosemary bushes skirt the front of the house, while wavy casuarina grasses add levels of drama and depth. Delicate rice flowers (ozothamnus), purple brachycome, vibrant red kangaroo paws and yellow everlastings create a vibrant textural feast, while eucalyptus and banksia trees were planted along the boundaries for privacy from neighbouring blocks.
This new garden acts like a solder between the transposed residence and its fresh terrain. The soft and functional features of the new garden give this old cattle grazing patch a new lease on life!
‘The Plot’ at Binna Burra is available to rent, see more here. See more projects from Fig Landscapes here.
