Tag: matt leacy

Categories
Design Expert Tips Interviews Outdoor & Exteriors

Rain garden design: How to conserve storm water

Located in Sydney's Woollahra, this rooftop rain garden is super lush
Located in Sydney's Woollahra, this rooftop rain garden is super lush

With Australia firmly in the grip of drought, and downpours like the ones parts of NSW have enjoyed recently on the rare side, now is a great time to explore ways of capturing and utilising rain before it gets lost in storm water drains and adds to pollution in water ways.

“A significant amount of precious storm water is lost to us and adds pollution to our waterways as unfiltered rain runs straight into rivers and oceans,” says landscape designer Matt Leacy, co-founder and creative director of Landart Landscapes who suggests creating a rain garden, or storm water-smart garden, to make good use of rainfall. It is estimated that the equivalent of six Sydney Harbours of storm water runoff is produced in Australia’s urban areas each year.

Located in Sydney's Woollahra, this rooftop rain garden is super lush
Located in Sydney’s Woollahra, this rooftop rain garden is super lush

“Rain gardens are self-watering, low maintenance, and help to reduce use of water in the garden, as well as filtering and purifying water so that it is then safe to be reused. Not only is a rain garden environmentally friendly and water efficient, but it can also boost overall property value and financial savings on water rates,” says Matt.

Rain gardens can be created in a variety of ways including downpipe diversion, a green roof, in-ground, planter box, tank diversion, swale or vegetable rain garden. “Research and consultation with a landscape designer on what will work best for a particular space is always advisable,” says Matt who shares his top tips for creating a simple rain garden with us today.

Where is the rain coming from?
“Firstly, choose where you’re going to capture the bulk of your storm water from,” says Matt. Will it be from a downpipe, driveway or pathway, or from a rainwater tank?

Planter box
Secondly, choose a planter box that fits your space, or excavate a trench that leads water to a lower lying point in your garden. “You will need to layer your planter box with gravel, soil and sand, and then a bottom layer of gravel to aid with water filtration, and to allow the water to drain freely at the base into an exit pipe,” says Matt who advises putting a waterproof liner in the planter box to ensure the storm water is captured for reuse.

Landart

The in-ground option
“If you’re creating an in-ground rain garden, dig the area with a gentle slope away from the house. You will also need to dig a shallow trench that re-directs water to this part of your garden where it can be captured and released, ready to be absorbed and filtered by plants and engineered soil. You will also probably need to plumb in pipes,” says Matt.

What to plant?
“Speak to your local nursery to check the best plants to use in your rain garden,” says Matt who is a fan of native plants such as kangaroo paws, native grasses, native rushes and Dianella when it comes to rain gardens. “The main thing is to ensure that whatever you choose is both drought-tolerant and able to withstand heavy rain and water. Native plants tend to be lower maintenance and more suitable than introduced species,” says Matt.

Ongoing maintenance
To retain moisture, Matt suggests covering your garden with mulch followed by gravel; bark or straw tend to float into storm water drains. You will also need to make sure you’re weeding until the plants have matured as well as monitoring the rain garden in the first heavy downpours to ensure water is evenly distributed. “You may need to also add plants or some rocks to help control erosion,” says Matt.

And if it doesn’t actually rain when you’re setting up your rain garden (the irony!), you will need to water your plants until they’re established, in compliance with local water restrictions.

Landscape designer Matt Leacy
Landscape designer Matt Leacy

When to employ a professional?
A fabulous alternative to the in-ground or planter box options, a rooftop rain garden can make a strong visual statement despite the added engineering concerns. And whether you’re looking at a rooftop of complex in-ground iteration, you’re best to consult a professional. “Rooftop gardens require a structural engineer to check the roof is properly intact and suitable for the type of rain garden you’re planning to do,” says Matt.

For more on Landart Landscapes | How to landscape a big backyard

Categories
Expert Tips Outdoor & Exteriors

Fire proofing your yard: Five expert tips

Landart Landscapes

While this year’s bushfire season has already been harrowing in its effects, it’s horrifying to think that we’re only at the beginning. With a brutal bushfire season predicted for the weeks and months ahead, we caught up with landscape designer Matt Leacy, of Landart Landscapes, who shares his top tips for mitigating fire risk around your home.

Landart Landscapes

“I love the Australian bush, and live near bushland myself, so I would never want to seem alarmist in my approach to fire-prepping. However, the reality is that we’re already experiencing devasting fire conditions in many parts of Australia and signs are pointing to a long, dry summer – so we’ve got to be as proactive as possible when it comes to mitigating fire risks to our homes and outdoor spaces,” says Matt, who is also resident garden guru on Channel Ten’s The Living Room.

“While there’s no way to entirely fire-proof your property, property owners shouldn’t underestimate how much a good garden clean-up, prune and some clever plant choices can potentially make in reducing bushfire risks to your home,” says Matt.

1. Tidy up and trim back
“As much as it may seem an obvious and tedious task, one of the best things you can do is to thoroughly prune and tidy up around your gardens and property,” says Matt.

This includes cleaning gutters (especially if your house is surrounded by large trees) and ensuring that all of the old dry leaves from autumn and winter are cleared away from your property. “You should also ensure that dead branches are cut away, and trees and other plants are trimmed right back away from your house,” says Matt.

For some properties, installing fire irrigation on the roof, or some extra hose points, might be worth considering. “If a fire borders your property, it could make a critical difference to be able to wet your house down and put out spot fires from embers from multiple angles,” says Matt.

2. Know what is in your garden
“It’s useful to have at least some knowledge of how flammable the plants and trees on your property are – and if you’re unsure and surrounded by lots of gardens and bushland, it might be worth engaging a professional to help inform you,” says Matt who explains that plants that are known to ignite quickly (and some will even explode) include tea tree, Cyprus, pines, eucalypts and various other natives.

“Obviously, if you have a beautiful, well-established eucalyptus tree – which is also an important wildlife habitat, you aren’t likely going to want to remove it entirely. But if you can prune it back and maintain it – especially the branches that are dying off – as well as control what’s around it, you’ll help to reduce associated fire risks,” says Matt who adds that you must check with your local authority as to how much of the tree you can remove each year.

3. Landscaping choices
“When introducing new varieties into your outdoor spaces, choose plants that are fire retardant – that is, plants that don’t ignite and therefore make areas less flammable,” says Matt.

Plants that have a high moisture content in their leaves, as well as big thick leaves rather than fine hard leaves, will help protect your home from falling embers. Some of these plants include, saltbush, lavender, hydrangea, white cedar, succulents, grey or silver mulga, wattles, lilly pilly, kangaroo paw, palms, Moreton bay figs, Scaevola – fan flower, Cyathea, Dianella, Hymenopsermum – Native frangipani, Myoporum, Senecio, Syzygium  viola and various species of flax and pigface.

Succulents have high water content
Succulents have high water content and are thus more fire retardant

“Keep in mind that if some of these plants dry out, they may then burn. But vegetables (especially if you have a patch bordered by a pathway or pebbles) are also a great option,” says Matt who suggests choosing plants with smooth bark, rather than rough bark, and checking with your local nursery to check which plants are suitable for your area.

“Also, do your best when designing your garden to plant fire resistant trees and plants in a shield format, particularly if your property is bordered on any side by bushland. Lower shrubs and ground covers are a better choice than big tall trees or hedges,” says Matt who also recommends stones, gravel and pebbles as an alternative to ‘fire fuel’ such as wood chips.

“From a design perspective, if you are starting fresh with a new garden, or can adapt what you already have, I’d suggest planting trees at least 10 metres from you house. Also, include pebbled, paved, tiled or concrete pathways to help create fire breaks,” says Matt. And for anybody whose property backs onto a national park, from a pool to a tennis court or large stretches of lawn, it’s a good idea to put something between the bushland and your home.

Landart Landscapes

You should also avoid clumping too many trees together (a tight canopy can carry fire), and avoid having trees that grow over, or onto, your house.

4. Lawns and water provision
“Lawns can act as a physical barrier, if you’ve been able to keep them green during water restrictions and very dry conditions,” says Matt.

Lawn
Large expanses of lawn can act as a safety barrier for your home

While not possible for everybody, Matt suggests pre-planning for upcoming rainfall and installing water tanks. “When we do eventually get rain, these tanks can be used to maintain a green garden, which can help to ward off the severity of bushfires later down the track,” says Matt.

Sinking a bore, for watering, might be a feasible option too but you must obtain approval and licensing to do so so.“Drip watering systems are also a great, simple and cost-effective way to transport water into your garden in an eco-friendly manner,” says Matt.

5. Help local fauna find refuge
“If you’re in the sad situation of being hit by fires (and hopefully it’s just your garden you need to re-build), or you live in an area with bushland that’s been ravaged by fires, look at how you can help support the animals in the area,” says Matt.

You can support local animals by leaving out buckets of water, or incorporating water features with fresh water, or bird baths into your garden. “If you know what animals are in your region, you might look at establishing plants and garden features that wildlife could seek refuge in and use as a food source,” says Matt who suggests purchasing seed to feed birds and other animals in extreme situations.

“Note that if you’re encouraging wildlife into your garden, you should be more vigilant with cats and other domestic pets that may hunt displaced fauna seeking refuge in your outdoor spaces.”

Matt Leacy
Landscape designer Matt Leacy

Photography: Jason Busch

For more on Matt Leacy | Backyard ideas: 3 reno projects to get it summer-ready

Categories
Expert Tips Outdoor & Exteriors

How to install a safe yet good-looking pool fence

By Matt Leacy

With more than 1.2 million Australians owning a pool and council laws across the nation requiring many property owners to have pool fences – even if retrospectively installed – the balance between legal compliance and great landscape design is becoming increasingly difficult to strike.

credit-jason-busch

And it’s important to get it right. As well as the obvious safety concerns (highlighted by a spate of recent drownings in NSW), we can potentially lose thousands of dollars in property value if we install a pool fence that ruins our outdoor aesthetic. With this in mind, here are my top tips for installing a pool fence without ruining the look and feel of your outdoor space.

The issue

One of the key problems is that retroactive laws are requiring many Australians to install or change pool fences in backyard spaces that weren’t initially designed to accommodate a pool fence in that way– the layout, the gardens, the surrounds have all been designed without regard for the rules that exist today.

Because property owners are in a rush to comply and minimise installation costs, they bring a certifier in and get the job done quickly without properly considering how the fence is going to affect the look and landscape of their backyard – and the overall value of their property.

If you get it wrong and the fence looks terrible, you’ve potentially taken thousands of dollars off your sale or accumulative rental price – aside from the horror of looking at your backyard in a bad state. We all love our backyards and the wrong pool fence can look like an eyesore.

credit-jason-busch-3

The key is in collaboration

One of the best ways to ensure you get the fence installation right is to get a landscape designer involved from the start of the process to ensure that proper design considerations are factored into the installation plan.

A landscape designer is going to look at things from a different angle and can help you explore avenues that may not seem open to you if you’re solely speaking to the council.

There’s more than one way to install a pool fence while still meeting legislative requirements, but if you don’t know what you’re options are and what to look for, you’re likely going to just do the basics, which can yield a result that may not look as easy on the eye as it could.

The optimal scenario is to have a meeting with your certifier and landscape designer at the same time. That way you can have an open conversation and throw around ideas to try to get to your preferred outcome – while also being sure that your pool fence will meet council laws.

What materials look the best?

In terms of what pool fence materials look the best, it always depends on the individual property, but glass is usually a pretty safe bet.

There’s plenty of different materials – glass-finish, powder-coated aluminium and timber. Glass is the most seamless and can disappear into a landscape more than other materials, but it will cost you more in relation to a standard aluminium fence.

If you’ve got a large area to do and don’t want to incur too much expense installing the whole area with glass, you might consider using glass for the main visual of the fence to keep them open and visible – and then turn to a black-top aluminium fence that can be hidden in the garden and disappear around plants and the like.

If you choose a powder-coated aluminium, go for a black colour as it disappears more than green if it’s up against plants. And whatever you do, steer clear of creams, reds and lighter colours because they stand out and often ruin the aesthetic of the backyard.

credit-jason-busch-2

What materials last the longest?

Durability is also an important consideration, with glass also being a top contender when it comes to low-maintenance and repairs.

Most people automatically assume that aluminium fences will require the least maintenance, but when it comes down to it, glass is super strong and often held in place by really high quality stainless steel and reinforced concrete,

There’s rarely any issues with glass fences coming loose and when things go wrong with glass it is very obvious, whereas sometimes the screws and fittings on aluminium fences come loose and go unseen for some time. I rarely see a glass fence that’s moved or failing because they’ve usually got the right foundations.

Glass is also, in essence, more difficult to climb than other materials because it’s just a slippery front-faced surface.

Compliance and design can be friends

From a compliance perspective, it’s important to understand what the pool fence laws are in your state and to seek professional advice to ensure that you don’t install a fence which doesn’t meet the requirements.

Installing a pool fence isn’t cheap, so you want to make sure that you get it right the first time around. If your pool area backs up to one of the boundary fences, then you need to ensure the boundary fence is also compliant.

Regardless of what material you use, it’s most important to make sure that you have a certified product, whether you’re a homeowner residing in your own property or an investor leasing it out.

And while it might cost you a bit more up front to ensure that compliance and design both come out on top, the initial outlay is often worth it in the long term.

Safety is the number one priority as we don’t want any accidents. Second to that is aesthetics. If you install a fence that ruins the overall look and feel of your backyard, your property value is more than likely going to suffer. The potential loss you stand to incur in property value terms far likely outweighs what you’d pay a landscape designer to make sure the fence looks great.

–Co-founder of the award-winning Landart Landscapes, Matt Leacy, has 20 years’ experience in design, construction and maintenance services across landscaping and pool installation for both residential and commercial properties. Matt is a qualified horticulturalist and the current President of the LNA Master Landscapers Association.

Categories
Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

How to use copper in your garden

Copper fixtures is a trend that’s big in kitchens and house interiors and it’s definitely also being requested and featured prominently in designs of outdoor spaces. But how can you use copper in the garden to create a stylish and contemporary backyard?

landart landscapes reno addict 1

Placing a statement copper piece in your outdoor area adds character, charm and something unique to draw the eye to. Copper works well for light fittings, outdoor showers, fireplaces, water features and bespoke pots.

One of the things that work so nicely when using copper outdoors is that it acquires a beautiful patina over time. This look works particularly well for light fittings and shower heads, as the patina allows them to subtly settle into the garden.

landart landscapes reno addict

However, if the polished copper look is your preference, then keep copper pots and fittings under shelter so they weather more gradually or get used to polishing!

Just about any plant looks good with cooper, tall leafy plants such as a Kentia palm or fiddle leaf fig work really well. Silver foliage plants also contrast beautifully. Kalanchoe ‘silver spoons’ have a really interesting texture and shape and offset the copper perfectly.

– Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Design DIY Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Create a beautiful backyard on a budget

Whether you’re a new home buyer, gardening enthusiast or just enjoy a bit of greenery around the home, most would agree that outdoor spaces have the potential to herbicide bank accounts. Here’s some handy tips to keep your garden flourishing without the costly price tag.

Landart Landscape-designed garden

Composting

Composting is an ideal way to help the environment whilst also saving money. Compost can provide valuable nutrients for your plants. By composting yourself, you save money and take advantage of your food waste. Collect fallen leaves and lawn clippings to add to the compost and use them as mulch on the garden.

From an aesthetic perspective, a large compost site or bin in the backyard doesn’t have to be an eye sore. Hedges, shrubs, burying bins underground are all ways that clever design can marry style and function.

Recycle

Use recycled garden items – either from your own garden or recycling centre – to help keep garden makeover costs down and to add a rustic, lived in feel to your green space.

Bringing in a garden expert can save you in the long-term with advice on what can and can’t be salvaged from your existing garden (including plants and materials). Re-purposing materials can drastically reduce the cost of new work.

Budget

_G0T1825

Cost reductions start with the design of the space. Good design considers your budget and provides a response that meets your brief. This is where a design and landscape expert can really help. Landscape designers have suppliers they can call on year round for plants, and industry relationships for all of the building materials. We know how long something will take to build and how much things cost so bringing in an expert is a good way to stay on budget.

Water

If drought tolerant plants aren’t chosen or you live in a harsh and dry climate, watering can be quite costly over the long-term. A few hot tips to remember:

  • Be conscious of your future water bills. Invest in a rainwater tank to save money in the long run.
  • Manage the consistency of watering, by deeper less regular watering – it encourages healthier deep root systems on your plants.
  • Spread mulch around the soil of your plants – it reduces weeds, saves water and insulates your soil.
  • Make your own soil wetting agent.

Pick suitable plants

green

Selecting the correct plants for your garden plays a large role in their future cost and upkeep. It is essential to choose plants that not only look great but will also handle your local conditions. A few low maintenance plants suited for mass planting of large areas are Beschorneria, Echium and Westringia. These plants all work well together, are drought hardy and flower at different times of the year. Combined with various ornamental grasses and succulents you will have an amazing effect without all the fuss

– Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Design Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

Why winter is the best time to start planning your pool

Planning the installation of your pool during the colder months is the perfect way to ensure you’re ready to dive in by the time summer rolls around. Below are five main factors to consider when preparing for your pool:

1. Create a look book 

Gather design inspiration from a variety of sources including newspapers, magazines and even scenic shots taken on holiday, pay particular attention to the pool water colour and the finish/treatment, tile or otherwise that is helping to create it. Then get an expert in to advise on making your design vision a reality. A good landscape designer will then put your ideas into a cohesive plan that considers your property holistically as it is not just about the pool. A comprehensive landscape design will mean you are ready to construct a clear vision of what your pool oasis will look like come summer.

2. Find a credible team 

After you’ve established your aesthetic vision the next step is to source the right team to execute the job. Ensure they are credible and well established; a great way of monitoring this is to check that they are a member of the right associations. Spasa for pool builders and the LNA Landscape Association NSW (for which I am the current president) for all of the other exterior construction builders; as this will mean that they are highly regarded, have earned the respect of the construction industry, government bodies and other associated professionals. Going with a LNA member will also offer protection should there be any issues during the design and construction phase, as all LNA members have the necessary insurances and proven track records.

3. Establish a budget 

It’s likely that you will have an idea of what you’re willing to spend on your pool installation and materials. However, it’s also important to speak with your team to establish a more accurate idea of what the process will cost. Design experts will be able to collate more information and give you an estimate on what it will cost to make your pool come to life and integrate within your outdoor space.

4. Check your local building codes 

It is important to know the rules before you embark on the pool installation process.  The NSW legislation states that pools must be registered with local councils or risk facing fines. To ensure compliance with the regulations, a ‘Development Application’ can be lodged through council, or if certain guidelines are met a ‘Complying Development’ can be carried out through a licensed private certifier. Both will need to meet the following requirements: that pool fences are 1.2m high (with no gaps of more than 100mm), all horizontal pales must be at least 900mm apart, latches must be 1.5m above ground and boundary fences must be 1.8m high.

5. Water features for a finishing touch 

Once you’ve made the decision to dive into swimming pool ownership, why not add a stylish water feature. A water feature can be an eye-catching addition to any pool design and also adds to the ambience with the sound of running water. I recommend installing your water feature during the initial construction period as retrofitting can be difficult and costly.

– Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Outdoor & Exteriors

The ultimate garden experiences for kids

Photo credit: The Style House

With the school holidays in full swing, now is the perfect time to stockpile the ideas to keep your kids entertained. Below are some clever tips from Landart Landscapes’ Matt Leacy on how to get your kids out of the house and into the garden.

DIY outdoor play area — Create the ultimate play area for your kids, by incorporating the following ideas:

Photo credit: Big Game Hunters
Photo credit: Big Game Hunters
  • Make a chalkboard — A simple chalkboard can be built from recycled wood and chalkboard paint.
  • Sandpits never fail to captivate children — I recommend building these from child friendly recycled pine or treated timber.
  • A cubby house is a clever way to create a space where kids can hang out and retreat from the sun — I recommend using natural materials for the exterior of the cubbyhouse, like marine grade plywood and hardwood, these timbers will keep the heat out on sunny days.
  • If nothing else, the most simple and obvious… a grass area. Kids love to run, play and kick a ball.

Give them a green thumb — Teaching your children how to get involved in the gardening process will make them eager to get outside.

Photo credit: Robert Ashdown
Photo credit: Robert Ashdown
  • Buy your children their very own gardening kit — this is a clever incentive that will leave them eager to participate in gardening activities. I recommend choosing plants that are easy to grow, such as tomatoes, sunflowers, lettuces, squashes and beans.
  • Personalise the garden so that it becomes a special place for children — I suggest planting a tree for each child born and at each birthday compare the child’s height to the tree’s height. This is an inspiring way to keep kids interested in nature and the way that things grow.
  • Plant a veggie patch — picking from the veggies patch is an enjoyable activity that parents can do with their kids.
  • Incorporate wildlife into your child’s gardening experience by adding a bird bath, with a small pond for fish — children will love to see the different animals in the garden.

Make things together for the garden –– Get inventive by creating handmade decorations or tools with your children, made from recyclable materials.

Photo credit: The Style House
Photo credit: The Style House
  • Create plant and herb markers from old paddle pop sticks.
  • Get the kids painting old pot plants with bright and bold colours.
  • Make fun dangling garden decorations from beads, shells and pebbles, hang these with thread or fishing line.
  • Turn coconut shell halves into seedling pots — clean the inside, paint the outside like a face and anything that sprouts will seem like hair. Recycled egg cartons are also great for making seedling pots.
  • Make plants out of vegetable scraps — while they don’t grow edible produce; they make a fun activity for kids, who can watch them sprout week by week.

– Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Outdoor & Exteriors RENO ADDICT

5 ways to revamp your front garden for the ultimate kerb appeal

It’s easy to forget how important the front entrance is to the overall look of your home. Kerb appeal is of high importance when selling your property and for the overall aesthetics of your house, as it sets the tone for what’s to come. Below are five clever ideas on how to give your front garden that much-needed facelift; changes that will certainly leave your neighbours green with envy.

Green Garden landart landscapes reno addic

  1. Spruce up your walkway

Create that initial wow factor! Transform your front walkway with the use of interesting materials such as brick, flagstone and pavers; these materials will lend more character and charm to your garden than traditional cement. Adding a slight curve to the conventional pathway is another great way to make a chic statement. I recommend lining the walkway with low maintenance plants such as Camellias, Lomandras and Birds of Paradise.

  1. Fill it with florals

Make your guests feel welcome from the moment they walk through your front gates, with a colourful array of aromatic blooms. I recommend planting flowers with bright, bold hues. My top picks are Peonies, Siberian Iriss and Aasiatic Lilys (these bright charmers are available in a cheerful variety of orange, yellow and purple). This idea will maximise the potential of your small front garden space.

  1. Create an oasis

succulents landart landscapes reno addic

Filling your front garden with medium-sized plants will not only keep the nosey neighbours away it will also create a fantastic sound barrier against street noise. Planting medium to large-sized plants provides you with a quiet oasis and actually makes your garden appear bigger; the variety of interesting textures, shapes and colours also creates the illusion of space. Decorating your front garden with a small hedge is another clever way to create serenity and intimacy without forming an unfriendly barrier.

  1. Light it up

Create a calming and intimate entry through the placement of mood and up-lights. When strategically arranged, these lights can determine which elements of your garden you wish to highlight. Ensure that the lights you purchase are made from high quality, waterproof and durable materials such as brass, copper or marine grade stainless steel.

  1. Add space to entertain

landart landscapes reno addict

If the space permits, adding a patio to your front garden can provide a great space to entertain guests. Gone are the days of old-fashioned front porches, however nothing should stop you from being able to enjoy a cold beverage out the front of your house with family and friends.

–Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Expert Tips

How to shade your garden for summer

With the weather well and truly starting to sizzle, don’t leave it any later to get your garden summer and party season ready. With a few creative touches to your outdoor living area, you can transform your garden into the ultimate al fresco summer spot. Garden guru Matt Leacy of Landart Landscapes shares his tips and tricks to take the heat off your summer hosting preparations, ensuring your outdoor  space is ready for those leisurely sunny afternoons. 

1. Creating a shady retreat

Matt Leacy Interiors Addict 1

As much as we all like to bask in the sunshine, too much sun can leave you feeling frazzled. Avoid being beaten inside by those summer rays by creating a shady haven in your garden. For those gardens without any natural shaded areas or large trees, there are plenty of affordable man-made options that will ensure you and your guests can relax comfortably and stylishly away from the suns’ glare.

A large umbrella is a great addition to any patio and can transform a seating area into a cool oasis without losing the outside ambience of your garden. Umbrellas not only offer an instant escape from the sun, they are conveniently mobile and can be set up on the lawn or poolside, and angled to banish sun glare no matter what time of day it is.

If your summer entertaining guest list is too big for an umbrella to cover, consider introducing a more substantial shaded area into your backyard. Canopies, cabanas, retractable awnings, pergolas and outdoor pavilions (some complete with full outdoor kitchens!) are all great ways of adding some protection to the back of your house and can bring a touch of style to your outdoor living area.

2. Put a shrimp on the barbie

Matt Leacy Interiors Addict 2

No Australian garden party is complete without the sight, sound and smell of a barbeque in full flow. Give your friends and family an al fresco dining experience to remember throughout the summer months by creating an outdoor cooking space ideal for any occasion. Convert your outdoor area into an extension of your indoor cooking space by creating an outdoor kitchen. Choosing the right spot is key; a flat, wind sheltered area away from the main seating area is ideal and will ensure your guests are invited to explore and enjoy different zones or areas before sitting down to dine.

The other consideration is choosing an area that the barbeque and other kitchen facilities don’t dominate and become the thing that catches the eye most in the garden design. The outdoor kitchen should be a draw card and an asset to the space but not the main feature. 

3. Summer showers

Matt Leacy Interiors Addict 4

An outdoor shower is a fantastic addition to any summer garden, providing a great place to rinse off after a swim in the pool, trip to the beach or a spot of gardening. The al fresco shower is also part of a growing trend of people bringing the indoors outdoors, with the increasing popularity of outdoor bathrooms and kitchens.

When you’re choosing to install an outdoor shower there are a few important factors to consider to ensure you make the most of your shower come rain or shine. The best outdoor showers take into account the beauty of the natural surroundings as well as practicality. If you have a swimming area you may wish to set it up poolside. If you want the shower for everyday use, it may be wise to install it within close proximity of the house, and where you can also enjoy privacy. Proximity to the house may also remove any potential issues with plumbing.

As with all elements of garden design, it’s important to have an outdoor shower or bathroom work as part of the overall garden design. Keep in mind the multifunctional use of the space. By using natural stone and timber in the design and having plants around the area to create a natural privacy shield, the shower can integrate with the surrounds, not dominate it.

4. Sunshine proof

Matt Leacy Interiors Addict 3

It’s important to ensure your outdoor furniture and finishings can withstand the harsh Aussie rays. When purchasing those comfy additions to your outdoor space look for good quality and outdoor specific fabrics that will not fade out after one summer. Moreover, with the unreliable weather forecasts you also want to choose a fabric that won’t have you running outside every time there’s a drop of rain. Everything should be marine grade and the sponge used should be free draining so it can be sat on a short time after it has been raining.

Durable decking and flooring should also be a focus when getting gardens summer ready. Considering the desired look for the space and the practicality of your chosen material could make all the difference. Count on a dense limestone for example, to keep cool under your feet during the hot summer months. While timber may require a little maintenance, it adds an organic feel to a space that can look less harsh than other stone finishes.

5. Light it up

Matt Leacy Interiors Addict

Show off your creation morning, noon and night. Incorporating the right amount of lighting in all the right places can drastically transform your garden’s atmosphere. Look to illuminate the key features of your landscape. This could be a striking tree, running waterfall, pool area or pathway. Use recessed lights in the timber for example, to add a new dimension to your backyard.

I like to use lighting as a design feature in gardens, on everything from statement plantings to water features. It not only provides a functional use come evening time, but can create an amazing ambience and set the mood when done properly.

6. The practicalities

Once all the design elements are determined, some important maintenance is necessary to ensure your garden is summer ready. Replanting gardens suffering from neglect is much more expensive than paying for ongoing maintenance. I’m a big believer in outsourcing garden maintenance if you know your lifestyle won’t allow you to stay on top of it.

People spend a lot of money getting gardens designed and installed and then I often see them neglect their investment. Weekly or even monthly maintenance is a small outlay in the scheme of things, and it helps ensure you maximise the leisure time you have to spend in your outdoor space, whilst noticing a huge difference in your gardens healthiness and vibrancy. This ranges from installing a reliable drip watering system, if you know when the weather warms up you won’t have the time to devote to watering your plants, to mulching to retain water, weeding and pruning.

–Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Expert Tips

5 golden tips for the perfect home grown Aussie Christmas

With the countdown to Christmas officially on and chocolate advent calendars hitting the shelves, it’s time to give your garden a little facelift and prepare for the celebrations! Matt Leacy of Landart Landscapes shares his expertise on preparing your outdoor area for the silly season, and also bringing things from your garden indoors to help decorate.

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict 3

1. Reining in the Christmas spirit

Adding summer favourites of potted colour with fragrance such as gardenias or jasmine is a great way to start. Australian Christmas is usually celebrated outdoors so investing in some summer colour is a must! Frangipani trees, Bottlebrush and Grevillea are some beautiful native options. They all have showy red, pink or yellow flowers that will enhance even the most mundane of gardens.

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict

2. Home grown decorations

Don’t spend a fortune on store-bought festive accessories – Christmas decorations can be sourced straight from the garden. Change things up, perhaps an outdoor Christmas tree? A tree that is in fruit such as lemon or orange will allow the fruit to act as natural decoration. Try adding garden lights for a simple yet classy touch. For a more classic approach, topiary can be good way to add a festive touch to the garden and would suit those with a more traditional garden.

Try placing simple sprigs of greenery into colourful vases to spread the festivity throughout the house. Need a centrepiece that makes a statement? Filling a large, glass vase with layers of lemons, limes and red holly berries, not only looks great but will last throughout the Christmas season.

Another option is creating native wreaths for the front door – pale green and silvery coloured gum leaves and the silver dollar eucalyptus leaf with flowers of a Corymbia ‘Summer Beauty’ and painted gum nuts could look quite spectacular when put all together.

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict 6

3. Greens for days

One of the hottest herbs right now, mint is the perfect addition to your summer spreads. This leaf packs a big, refreshing punch to your classic lemonades, ice teas, watermelon salads and the much-loved mojito. Growing mint by seed can be painfully tricky so head to your local nursery or market for inexpensive seedlings. With regular water and a little shade, your mint will grow vigorously, so pots are the best option – and will ensure that surrounding plants aren’t overtaken or destroyed.

Hosting Christmas lunch at your place with the entire extended fam? Stay prepared and keep it fresh by planting seedlings of salad greens such as lettuce, rocket and spinach every couple of weeks. Rocket, pear and parmesan salad anyone? Baby rocket, for example, is ideal to have on hand in your garden for summer salads, to add crunch to sandwiches and as a great side dish.

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict 1

4. Red and ripe

Red and juicy tomatoes are always a crowd pleaser, particularly when it comes to fresh salads, pasta sauce or just a healthy summer snack. And home-grown tomatoes that have soaked up plenty of sunshine are always so much more full of flavour than store-bought tomatoes that have often been kept in cool rooms. Enjoy weekend brunches of bruschetta – using your diced red tomatoes, mixed with olive oil and placed on top of toasted crunchy bread, garnish with basil (also from your garden!) and even include the scrumptious leg ham leftovers…

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict 2

5. Take a load off…

After all the organising and fussing, sit back, relax and enjoy your holidays with the people you love most. Avoid being beaten inside by those summer rays by creating a shady haven in your garden. For those gardens without any natural shaded areas or large trees, there are plenty of affordable man-made options that will ensure you and your guests can relax comfortably and stylishly away from the sun’s glare.

A large umbrella is a great addition to any patio and can transform a seating area into a cool oasis without losing the outside ambience. Umbrellas not only offer an instant escape from the sun, they are conveniently mobile and can be set up on the lawn or poolside, and angled to banish sun glare no matter what the time of day it is.

If your summer entertaining guest list is too big for an umbrella to cover, introducing a more substantial shaded area into your back yard like a canopy can provide a cosy and versatile shaded area, which can be transformed to suit your guests. Whether you’re hosting a late lunch or need a cool area for the children to play, a cabana provides a great way for everyone to enjoy your outdoor space. Retractable awnings, pergolas and outdoor pavilions, some complete with full outdoor kitchens, are all great ways of adding some protection and intimacy to your back garden and can bring a touch of style to your outdoor living area.

Landart Landscapes Interiors Addict 4

–Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Expert Tips Renting

The renter’s guide to growing your own garden

With house prices hitting record levels, more and more people are choosing to rent, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a beautiful garden. Landscape designer Matt Leacy shares how to make your mark on a rental property garden, in most cases, without having to leave it all behind when you move out. 

Pots, pots, pots

Going potty over losing your hard earned green thumbery to moving house? Pots are the ideal way to go. No portable garden is complete without pots:

image002

  • The sizes: Big, medium or small? What to choose? If you have a large area to fill, going for irregular shapes is a possibility. It may be a cluster of pots in the corner or an oversized contemporary bowl. The options are limitless. If you have a restricted small balcony then square or cube-shaped pots work well because they can sit in line up against a wall. There are also some great pots that sit over the top of a balustrade, leaving the entire floor space clear.
  • The types: If you are unsure of the weight restrictions of your balcony or rooftop go for a lightweight option like a fibreglass reinforced concrete. The concrete finish in these pots looks great and when it comes to the installation you will thank me for the lightweight tip, especially if you have lots of stairs to navigate. If you have inherited a mixture of hand me downs, consider painting them to give them a new look. If any are terracotta, it‘s worth waterproofing the inside as the terracotta is very porous and will absorb heat and water. The waterproofing will help maintain moisture in the soil which is really important as pots tend to dry out quickly.
  • The uses: Pots can hold anything from the tiniest sapling to small trees, all of which can be taken with you when you jump the fence to new digs.

Raised from the dead

It’s a little known fact that anything you plant in the ground of a rental property – unless otherwise agreed to – must be left behind. Even if you have purchased and tended the plants. Overcome this little problem by building your own raised, no-dig garden.

landart_manly_400

    • The materials can all be found at your local hardware store. Any spare timber off-cuts or corrugated iron can be used as the outline of the bed or planter box.
    • The concept of a no-dig garden is that you build up rather than digging down. The process is to use layers of newspaper, lucerne, manure and compost to build a garden bed above the ground that will eventually break down and feed the soil beneath. It is also a lightweight way of creating a garden bed in a planter box. A no-dig garden can be installed over a concrete slab, lawn, existing garden, in a large bowl or a planter box. Be mindful of where the water will drain to after the garden has been watered, particularly when establishing it on an impermeable base.
    • It is good to have something around the perimeter of the bed to consolidate the contents — like bricks butted against each other or even hay bales to raise it to a more comfortable working height. I have used this system without retaining it, however, by simply tapering the edges down so they are not sitting too high above the existing base.
    • Once you have established how to retain your new garden bed the first step is to lay out some newspaper to a thickness of about 5 to 10mm. Overlap all edges to create a barrier from the surface below and then dampen it so it doesn’t move or blow away. Remember with all the following layers to water each one. It doesn’t need to be soaked, just dampened.
    • The next layer should be chicken manure depending on what you are planting. Chicken manure is high in nitrogen so if you’re planting an edible garden is great for leafy vegetables, like lettuce or cabbage, though cow manure will also work. Lay the manure over the newspaper 100mm thick then cover that with 100mm of   lucerne or pea-straw. Then add another layer of manure then lucerne and keep repeating until you are close to the desired height of the bed. Don’t worry too much about getting the thickness exactly right as it won’t affect the outcome.

landart_manly_408

  • For the planting level, either cover the entire bed with a layer of compost or soil, again about 100mm thick. Or as an alternative that uses less soil you can create pockets where the plants will grow. Dig these pockets about two to three times the size of the punnet or pot you are planning to plant and then fill them with compost and plant. As a final layer, cover the entire bed with 100mm of lucerne.
  • The best thing about a no-dig garden is that when you have finished with it, it can be left to break down (you can start the process when you know you will be moving on from your rental property) and the plants potted to move, or if it is on concrete or in a planter, it can be spread as compost throughout the rest of the garden.
  • NB: Make sure you don’t leave anything behind as you may lose part or your entire bond for leaving behind a mess, regardless of how pretty your creation is.

Butter up the landlord

Before you move in, see if you can come to an agreement with your new landlord as to how the garden is maintained. Landlords see their gardens as an investment, so if you haven’t maintained it over the months or years, it’s not going to help them secure future tenants. Use these steps and they might even pay for your plants:

  • Talk yourself up: Sell yourself as a real green thumb and come to them with an idea in mind. It may be worth suggesting they pay for materials and you do the labour.
  • Think long term: Think about the way you shape the garden and what seasonal plants will help the landlord in the future. Privacy is always a big selling point for the landlord and benefit to the tenant.
  • Come to an agreement: Make sure it’s written and that both parties have a clear image in mind.

–Matt Leacy is a landscape designer and director of Landart Landscapes.

Categories
Expert Tips

Make your rooftop garden dream come true

For a long time, gardens were solely for the suburban house dweller, but times are changing and you no longer have to sacrifice a garden for inner-city living.

rooftop garden 1

Matt Leacy from Landart Landscapes shares his tips for creating a low-cost and sustainable garden above street level:

Continue reading “Make your rooftop garden dream come true”