Dalkeith
Des Barbera of The Terrace Gardener was asked to create a parterre garden with lots of roses.
The area was blessed with a magnificent jacaranda and an overhanging peppermint tree from next door. Des based the garden around three central squares of Japanese box hedges with internal circles and reverse-circle segments, creating an off-setting symmetry. Central to each square is an Anduze vase planted with perennials.
The David Austin rose Ambridge Rose encircles the urn in the middle square. In the outer squares, balled box hedges fill in the reverse-circle segments. Surrounding these parterre squares are beds of iceberg roses edged in box, with alcoves for garden benching. The pathways are made from compacted rock fines.
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Serralunga Banquété table with La Regista chairs.
A Romanesque columnar walkway links the house to a rear alfresco area. David Austin's Abraham Derby is planted to adorn each column.
The pool area has a backdrop of leafy boston ivy to cover a large wall behind a Pan sculpture, with balled box in Anduze vases lining the walkway.
To create a garden of roses and box that thrives in Perth's harsh climate and restricted watering days, Des gives great attention to the soil structure and its watering. Soils must retain moisture and loam-based landscaping mixes or loam and clay-based amendments are good for this purpose. Watering must be efficient, directly targeting the root zone and not blowing away in the wind.
The garden is furnished with items from Serralunga, where contemporary design references the traditional. This garden shows how well the two forms, from the past and present, seamlessly integrate to create a freshness to satisfy today's architecture, while retaining the romance of the parterre rose garden.