Shelter from the Storm

Crowded House’s song Four Seasons in One Day could easily have been written about Central Otago. The region experiences some of the most extreme weather in New Zealand. Summers are hot and dry, while winters are frequently characterised by sub-zero temperatures. Townships like Wanaka also experience windy weather – even the occasional gale from the south.

For Julie and Brian Cadzow, it was important that their Wanaka holiday home gave them the ability to experience the best of what Central Otago offers, even during windy weather.

New landscape design ideas

“We like to barbeque, especially in the summer, and protection from the wind (and the occasional southerly gale) was important,” says Julie from 2 Ruby Ridge, Wanaka. “Our original outdoor area was very exposed to the wind from most directions. We wanted to make our paved outdoor area more useable in the Central Otago weather, and to be able to leave doors and windows open on a warm but windy day.”

Building a timber pergola

Zones Landscaping’s solution was to create a pergola with Ziptrak blinds that could be opened when the weather was fine or closed up when extra protection from strong winds and the hot afternoon sun was required. The shade was selected from Ziptrak’s extensive colour range to match the house’s existing plasterwork. Because the blinds were custom ordered to exact specifications, the pergola had to be constructed with a high degree of accuracy to ensure a perfect fit.

The timber for the pergola posts was made to order, to fit in with the unique design of the house: straw bale construction framed by beams from an old bridge. As the new timber weathers, it will fade to silver-grey to match the rest of the house. The final result is a very versatile outdoor space that will allow the Cadzows to spend more of their time outside enjoying the magnificent view.

Most importantly, the project was completed just in time for a very important family event.

“We had about 10 people sitting outside and two barbeques working overtime during a big gathering after our daughter’s wedding in May,” says Julie. “The weather was horrendous, but an outdoor heater meant we could still use the covered area, which was great.”

“All of the timber for the pergola needed to be milled to spec because we needed to match the timber used on the house,” says Shane Woonton from Zones. “Late delivery of the timber left us with a tight schedule so that the pergola could be finished in time for the wedding. That meant careful planning each day to ensure the project was delivered on time.”

Zones managed the intensive week-long project from beginning to end, reducing the hassle experienced by the homeowners and streamlining the whole process.

Final thoughts

“Shane was easy to work with,” Julie says. “He listened to our ideas and completed the project on time and in keeping with the original house design and materials. Zones organised all aspects of the work – we didn’t have to find or coordinate with anyone else to complete the job which was amazing.”

While the final result means that the Cadzows’ can now get more out of their home away from home, it holds a special place in their hearts too.

“Zones’ pergola design means that we can close one or more of the blinds and still have the door open on a windy day – which is important when the temperatures are very high,” Julie says. “But of course, the best part was being able to use the space the day after our daughter’s wedding, which was just incredible.”

Have a look at another Zones case study

Get in touch with Zones to discuss your landscaping project

If you would like to discuss options and ideas for your outdoor renovation project, please use the enquiry form on this page to provide us with your contact details. We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your landscaping design and builds. If you would like to provide us with more information about your project, we have a more comprehensive enquiry form on our "Get in touch" page too.

*All information is believed to be true at the time of publishing and is subject to change.