This landscape designer struck gold with this empty Bayview garden, transforming the bare section into a lush, eye-catching oasis
Finding a garden that is a completely blank canvas is like striking gold for most landscape designers. Sandra Batley of Flourish Garden Design was smitten when she and partner John Eagleton discovered a 1970s clinker-brick two-bedroom unit in Bayview on Auckland’s North Shore. “It was a total do-up with a ton of potential and we had all the skills and tools to renovate it both inside and out,” Sandra says. “Nothing had been done to the outside at all.”
On the plus side, the site was a good size (410 square metres) for a unit, located in a leafy suburb and had a sunny north- and west-facing aspect. “Bayview is situated in a valley leading down to the water so it is quite sheltered.”
The landscape project
Every landscape project should have a precise brief and Sandra was very clear what this should be for her own garden. “Maximise the space, create privacy and good indoor-outdoor flow (which was previously non-existent) and utilise every square inch.”
The couple started by addressing the drainage issues on the site then worked on creating a series of levels for outdoor living. “The section slopes from back to front,” Sandra says. “So first we brought in 30 square metres of clay and topsoil to build up and create a generous, level lawn area at the front. A fence was built on top of the retaining walls to make the property more secure.”
Next on the agenda was the construction of a large deck, which they connected to the living room with a new ranch slider. With the deck sitting 70cm above the lawn area, John was able to sink the spa below the deck, with just its top protruding above it, so users can now walk out of the house and step straight down into the spa. Large platform timber steps float down alongside the spa to a smaller deck and then down to the lawn.
[quote title=”The house is so small we would be lost without our garden and outdoor living area” green=”true” text=” – it’s added so much value” marks=”true”]
Words by: Carol Bucknell. Photography by: Sally Tagg.
[related_articles post1=”55091″ post2=”52208″]

The expansive deck connects to the spa area, which is on a lower level to give it a sense of separation and better privacy.

The black and cream fencing provides a dark backdrop to accentuate the colours of the canna Tropicanna Gold and other plants.

“The house is so small we would be lost without our garden and outdoor living area – it’s added so much value,” says Sandra.

When asked if she would define her signature landscape design style as ‘subtropical’, Sandra is reluctant to narrow it down so rigidly. “Sort of,” she says. “I like colour. I like bold combinations and foliage plants.”

Sandra has extensively planted the street frontage with palms, grasses and flowering perennials so the house merges beautifully into its surroundings.

The front entry.

Sandra at the rear entrance to the outdoor living area.

The herb patch and compost area, tucked away at the back of the house.