Oasis of colour

Having a small garden to work with can be an advantage, as it allows a designer to choose a focal point and frame it with colour.

For this home, located in an inner-city suburb, landscape designer Cilla Cooper created an oasis, defined by a relaxing space that required little maintenance.

"As it is a small area, we felt it was more beneficial to dedicate the majority of the space to an enclosed deck, rather than try to create a grassy garden that needed constant attention," she says.

The original wooden deck was extended, with steps leading to a secondary entertaining area. This is paved with hard-wearing tiles and enclosed by a concrete wall. At the apex of the wall is a cascading water feature.

Cooper says the moving water, combined with the water lilies, colourful bromeliads and cycads, adds to the theme of an oasis and creates a focal point in the entertaining area.

"The wall is painted blue, matching the colour of a feature benchtop in the kitchen, which is located opposite the wall. As well as adding a bright colour, the wall further encloses the deck area," she says.

"Complementary colour is introduced with the oranges and reds of Canna tropicana and bromeliads."

A space behind the wall contains tall Ethiopian banana trees, the foliage of which hangs over the wall and offers privacy from the neighbours.

Cooper says some tropical plants are not always suitable for small gardens as they bulk out.

"But in this instance, a select few were chosen for easy maintenance and their vertical height," she says.

The leafy plants give the impression of a jungle and a greater sense of depth to the small property. At intervals, feature artworks and a pond provide pockets of breathing space in the dense greenery.

Left with narrow spaces on either side of the house, Cooper created walkways with hard-wearing ground materials like pavers, mondo grass and wood. Sculptures and colourful plants add aesthetic interest.

Story by: Trendsideas