Designing with Purpose

In this recent garden design project, the focus was on creating a thoughtful, layered landscape that balances privacy, style, and plant health, while offering a lush, inviting atmosphere. The brief was to design a space that feels tropical and vibrant on one side, while maintaining a softer, more traditional feel on the other.

Privacy with Purpose

One of the key goals was to provide privacy from a neighbouring garden without fully blocking light or airflow. For this, I planted a semi-dense hedge using a combination of glossy-leaved native plants that allow glimmers of sunlight to filter through. The effect is soft, natural, and visually pleasing — offering screening without creating a visual wall.

On the opposite side, the challenge was to soften and conceal a newly built brick wall. Rather than just blocking it with another hedge, I opted for a lush planting of climbing and tropical species, including:

Monstera deliciosa to climb and add dramatic foliage
Torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) to introduce vibrant red highlights
A mix of shaded native grasses and broad-leaved tropicals around existing tree roots

This section of the garden creates a rich, immersive tropical feel, dominated by varying shades of green, contrasted with bold pops of colour and texture.

1. Design and Plant Selection

The process began with a detailed garden design (see image attached), which mapped out plant types, sun/shade zones, and key focal points. combining tropical exotics with resilient natives.

2. Site Preparation

Once on site, I adjusted the layout to better suit the actual conditions. One key change was relocating grasses around the tree to better align with root structures and available light.

We then cleared and delineated the planting zones, carefully lifting turf and preparing garden beds without disturbing root zones unnecessarily.

3. Soil Conditioning & Planting

Given some compacted soil, i made sure to.

Dig deep planting holes (as deep as possible)
Added a custom mix of soil improvers and organic matter
Topped up with a blend of new organic soil (at least 10cm thick).

All plants were installed as "tubestock", giving them the best chance for long-term success by encouraging deep, vigorous root growth.

4. Protection & Mulching

To give the garden a strong start:

I installed protection in an area prone to brush turkey activity
A thick layer of red cypress mulch was applied throughout, this will help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and slowly break down over 6–12 months

Why Tubestock?

Though slower to establish visually, i believe that tubestock plants grow stronger root systems and often outperform larger nursery stock in the long term. With proper care, I expect this garden to fill in quickly particularly once the plants settle through their first summer season

What’s Next?

From the images you see here, the garden is still settling in — but the structure is in place, and the planting is off to a strong start. Over the next year, I’ll be keeping a close eye on its progress and will be sharing updates as the tropical planting thickens and the privacy hedge matures.

Looking forward to seeing how this garden evolves — and how the design choices made shape the space in seasons to come.