Surrrrounding a 1970’s era architecturally designed house, Timandra by the Sea is very different to the previous garden owned and designed by Alison in the Clare Valley, South Australia. This former garden went on to become one of Australia’s most prestigious, highly awarded and multi accredited gardens.
The main garden in Narrawong is about 15 years old, with many lofty trees, both exotic and those endemic to the region. The use of endemic eucalypts really gives the garden character and helps to bind it with other local specimens in the region.
The garden, upon purchase was overgrown and weed-ridden, but the garden held enormous promise, much of this due to the extent of mature trees. This has now been tidied up, with old unkempt natives removed and significant new plantings established to enclose the garden from the street and to provide the ‘rooms’ for which Alison is noted. Having owned a garden that was constantly open to the public, Alison and David now want a garden that provides them with year-round privacy while also being one of great beauty.
Covering 1 acre, only half of the site was laid out as garden, giving Alison the scope to further develop the other half of the site. The new garden that has been planted is mostly native, with plants being sourced from many different outlets. Many of the plants are local endemic species being mixed with natives from elsewhere, with similar soil and climate characteristics. Deciduous trees have also been included in the design, to allow for winter sunlight and to provide autumn colour.
It is important for any designer of worth to know how plants are going to manage with different soils and climates, and the best way to find this out, is for designers to garden themselves. It is with this in mind that Alison continues to find enormous pleasure in creating beautiful areas around her own home – the ideal of a true designer!
Timandra by the Sea is open to clients, by arrangement, who wish to view other work by Alison and to discuss the options available for design within their own garden. With a vast library of books on design styles and different plants, Alison welcomes all clients to her office in Narrawong, but strictly by appointment.
