Anyone for golf?

Taming a large landscape requires plenty of vision and an ability to see the bigger picture especially when you're confronted with a bare paddock with few significant natural features.

For landscape designer Dean Herald of Rolling Stone Landscapes, the development of this property presented just such a challenge. However, an early involvement in the project meant he was able to determine key elements, such as the position of the house.

"There was a small pond on the land, which we wanted to exploit to create a large dam," Herald says. "The house had to be high enough to provide a good fall so the rainwater collected from the roof could be used to fill the dam."

The house also needed to be set well back from the road to fully utilise the site with a long meandering driveway. In addition, an elevated position would provide the best outlook.

"The position of the house meets all these criteria. It has a 1000m² roof and 500m² of paving, both of which collect water that is recycled for irrigation."

Herald says the location of the dam was the first priority for the landscaping.

"Everything spread out from there," he says. "The dam, formed from the original pond, became two dams and two waterfalls linked by a man-made stream."

As the water from the lower pond near the house is pumped back up to the top dam, water is constantly re-circulating, ensuring it remains fresh.

Creating a natural environment was also crucial to the project, says Herald.

"We exploited the natural swales on the property, and in other areas manipulated the landscape to provide similar hollows and curves."

Local sandstone features extensively. Much of the rock was relocated from elsewhere on the property to edge the stream, waterfalls and pools. The dam walls were built from a stone cladding system that replicates the local rock.

The planting reinforces the natural look, although it is not all indigenous.

"Natural grasses, such as foxtails, provide movement as they sway in the breeze," says Herald. "In other places we have mixed spiky leafed plants, such as New Zealand flax, with the softer foliage of gardenias. It's important to maintain a balance in any planting scheme."

The landscape incorporates four carefully manicured golf holes, with greens bordered by variegated mondo grass.

Nearer the house, the planting is more formal, and includes flowering cherries, maples, Select Form lilly pilly trees and borders of Japanese box hedging.

Story by: Trendsideas