A full landscaping design project in Millwater, New Zealand

For this contemporary home and its developing surroundings, the landscape was originally established to match the pace of the busy, modern lifestyle - that being, to not need much maintenance at all. 

To achieve this care-free garden the previous landscapers had placed a lot of decorative pebbling throughout the backyard. The ambition was to keep it looking refined while reducing the need to water/tend to the area.

But unfortunately, as time went on, the decision to go heavy with stone instead of plants ended up doing the opposite of what they intended. Instead of keeping as a simplistically beautiful backyard, weeds began growing through the pebbling and eventually became more noticeable than the pebbles themselves.

The homeowners were determined to re-do their landscape in a way that would increase its functionality and beauty. But still, it remained important for their upgraded landscape to require a small amount of maintenance. No constant pruning or trimming. It needed to be simple.

After contacting Zones Landscaping, they were put in touch with their local Landscaping Specialist. With years of expertise in residential landscaping and a particular talent for project management, they were the perfect specialists to help them reconstruct their home’s garden.

The Design

Situated in beautiful Millwater, this property belongs to a suburb of north-facing slopes and tranquil valleys. The local landscaping team wanted to focus on complementing this surrounding beauty by keeping new materials to natural tones.

This look was achieved by incorporating a large amount of fresh greenery and softwoods into the detailed design, planning, and costing stage. In these drawings, the designers prepared for a new retaining wall and also found a way to utilise the pebbling instead of removing it entirely.

Rather than replacing the pebbles with grass, they would leave the pebbles to act as drainage, build the area up with topsoil, and cover it with ready lawn over top. This plan helped reduce costs, waste, and increase functionality in a way that would help with garden maintenance. 

The Installation 

When sourcing the materials for this landscape, the Landscaping Consultant opted for a variety of trusted suppliers. Bunnings were used for the retaining wall timber, Awa Nursery for plants, and Daltons for the new pavers and decorative pebble.

Together, these materials were combined to modernise the home’s surrounding garden.

A low, timber retaining wall was installed in the backyard along with lush ready lawn. New decorative pebbling was also laid to the sides of the house with smooth, black pavers set (where needed) to provide stepping stones. 

Looking at the front of the house, more fresh lawn was laid along with continued decorative pebbling at the sides to match the backyard. 

To complete the project, beautiful plants were added to all corners of the property. These healthy shrubs and trees were chosen for both their easy care and for their fullness which lifted the entire landscape to establish a more vibrant feel across the garden.

The homeowners were very happy with the final result from the landscaping team. A complete transformation from the unusable garden it once was; their landscape now offers a wonderful space to unwind along with room for their kids to run around on the grass.

Would you like to discuss your landscaping ideas?

Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Landscaping Specialist.