LANDSCAPING
Introduction
Good landscaping can make our homes peaceful, attractive and beautiful as well as abundant for us and nature. Supporting the local indigenous ecology and growing food is critical and should be planned concurrently with the house layout and position on the site.
How do we avoid covering the whole site in impermeable buildings, concrete driveways and hard landscaping? Where does nature fit in? How does rain get back into the ground to replenish and feed our waterways and moisten the soil? What is resilience if not supporting the health of nature, our birds, insects and growing healthy locally available food for them and us?
Consider how the approach and entryway can be enhanced with planting. Design areas for native plants that are local to the area and will support wildlife. Allocate areas for both vegetable growing and fruit trees.
Similarly, think about where is appropriate for the garden shed, greenhouse, compost area or worm farm to process organic household and garden waste? Where will the washing line go – out of sight or in full sunshine, but ideally with some cover? How easy is it to use from the laundry?
Where might water tanks go – under the house to form the waffle slab? Big round drums or linear integrated storage as the fence? (Check fire regulations) Storing water for outdoors, garden irrigation and washing is essential for resilience. If the storage is raised up, it offers a simple gravity feed. If you want to run the laundry or flush toilets you will need a floating pump system and power supply. Refer to Water Section for more information.
Landscape design is a whole other skill set, but as designers, we are capable of making strategic decisions about layout and position of key elements to reduce impermeable coverage to a minimum and ensuring there is space for supporting infrastructure, native plants and vegetable growing. A good garden centre will offer solid advice and support if you share a basic concept layout. Ideally, you’ll purchase their plants!
Food producing plants and native landscaping
A productive garden can provide the means for life and be a source of education and resilience. If you can nip outside and forage enough greens and herbs to fill out your meal, this will save you money and provides vitamins and minerals, along with a great sense of satisfaction that you will never get from store bought produce.
There is no reason why any normal garden feature cannot provide you and your family with food rather than just be decorative. Consider these options.
● Feature tree? Why not an apple or a pear? How about an espalier fan, a double cordon or a Belgian Fence? A citrus such as lemon, lime or grapefruit is a useful fruit in any garden.
● Ground cover? Rosemary, chamomile, thyme, lots of herbs.
● 1.5m high hedge? Feijoa is popular across New Zealand.
● Knee high hedge? Rosemary, blueberries.
● Edging plant to front of garden bed; Parsley, lettuce, coriander, NZ spinach, herbs etc.
● Mid height plant to centre of garden bed; Kale, silver beet, celery.
● High plants to rear of the garden bed; Sunflowers, Corn, artichokes, fennel.
Ask your designers to also allow a dedicated space for vegetable growing, with easy access from the house, getting as much sun as possible. It may be as small as 2 square metres in a raised bed against the back fence, or a paved spot where a proprietary Vegepod could be placed. These suggestions also tie into Universal Design with no bending required.
The benefits are so wide ranging, with mental health being amongst one of the best. Being out in nature, touching plants and knowing you are being at least partially self-reliant, helping your family’s health and budget at the same time.
A good planting guide for your area is https://www.gardenate.com/
In terms of native plantings, it is best to talk to your local nursery to see what grows best in your location. It can also fun to grow your own trees and shrubs from seed.
The Department of Conservation has a great guide. https://www.doc.govt.nz/get-involved/run-a-project/restoration-advice/native-plant-restoration/ecosource-seeds/collection-and-propagation-guide-trees/
Recommended Healthy Home guidelines for Landscaping are set out in the table below:
