Gardening at Wren's Nest

The garden at Wren’s Nest has caused us much grief over the years.

At the moment, we are at last, tackling the front garden – properly. We have played around with paths and curved garden beds in the past but I think we have a design which will work this time. Some curves, a lot of straight lines, a lot of symmetry and 2 garden rooms.

We have several  major concerns.
• a very long stretch of ground along the front of the house which, because of its length, looks really narrow – but isn’t really. You look at this from the southern end.
• It is so dry where we live – well up until this year. But I know the dry will return.
• Wind.
• And even after living here for 8 ½ years, we still find it difficult to think on a large scale – mass plantings, big everything. Small delicate just doesn’t seem to work in the Australian countryside with it’s huge vistas and skies.
• And lastly, creating a garden which will not take night and day to maintain.

Our Aim. (We'r not expecting too much are we???)
• To create a garden which enhances the house inside and out.
• Is beautiful to look at and be in.
• Has flowers for looking at and cutting for inside.
• A garden which encourages bird life.

We are basing our ideas on 3 great Australian and 1 UK landscape architects/ designers/gardeners . The ideas of Paul Bangay (symmetry – defined hedged areas) www.paulbangay.com. We love picture # 5 in the town Garden photos. David Glenn (sustainable drought resistant plants and gardens) www.lambley.com.au . The photos of the dry garden are beautiful. Michael Bligh – who we received some advise from a long time ago. www.michaelbligh.com.au . Dan Pearson from the UK. I loved his TV shows. www.danpearsonstudio.com

So – we will see what happens and I will document the progress here. If we can pull together even half these ideas we will be a very happy couple.