A stream that bisects a Dunedin garden has been integrated into the garden plan, as Gillian Vine reports.
Garden writers tend to be stingy with the word immaculate, but when it comes to Pam and Harold Woods' Dunedin property, nothing else will do.
The Woods built their Sawyers Bay house 40 years ago, expanding it over the years, although Harold says the latest addition, a conservatory built a couple of years ago, is definitely the final addition.
As the house has grown, so has the garden.
Because of the stream, Harold built a bridge to get to the back of the section.
With an eye to a bargain, he bought the redundant bell tower from the Port Chalmers fire station and used the metal frame as the base for a sturdy bridge.
Stones cleared from the section and paving stones from Dunedin made lining for the banks plus a set of steps.
There are fish in the creek and, when his grandchildren came, Harold made sure they had good catches.
He sneaked downstream and tied chocolate fish to the children's lines, which delighted the youngsters.
The creek seems calm and peaceful but is not always as tranquil.
"This looks lovely now, but it can be a raging torrent," Pam says.
When that happens, the force of the water will bring boulders from higher up the stream - "You can hear them rumble, rumble downstream," Harold says.
Over the bridge, a small lawn is surrounded by shade-loving plants - such as Chatham Island forget-me-not (Myosotidium hortensia), hostas and bear's breeches (Acanthus mollis) below numerous rhododendrons.
Last year, Lem's Monarch swept down to the ground, the pale pink blooms "just like a waterfall", Pam says.
Hard pruning of the lower branches has lifted the rhododendron off the lawn but it still tops 3m.
Nearer the house, on the other side of the bridge, are more rhododendrons, including frilled pink Mrs Percy McLaren under the froth of a double-flowering cherry, and New Zealand-bred Kiwi Magic, deservedly popular since its release 21 years ago.
Other rhododendrons flower in succession, overlapping with the paeonies Pam loves.
She recommends Ann Cousins, a late-flowering white paeony that opens up as "a large double flower that's magnificent, just like a huge saucer".
Numerous lilies lead the way into summer, then dahlias take over.
Above the patio is a well-trained Wisteria, its colour echoed in soft blue Dutch irises, but even when these plants are not in flower, Pam keeps up the interest with pots of multicoloured flax and neatly clipped Buxus.
There is a small glasshouse and vegetable patch, where Harold's Jersey Benne potatoes are making rapid growth despite the wet, cold conditions over the past month.
This year, he is trying Osprey as a second early potato, as well as growing Agria as his main-crop variety.
Harold is the lawn man, feeding it with superphosphate and sulphate of iron to maintain lush growth and help keep weeds away, while his hand-trimmed edges are ruler-straight.
Immaculate is definitely the word.
If you go
Pam and Harold Woods' property is one of seven West Harbour gardens open tomorrow between 11am and 5pm, as a fundraiser for the Port Chalmers Presbyterian parish. Tickets are available at the Emmanuel Church hall, Station Rd, Sawyers Bay, from 10.30am. The price of $10 includes Devonshire tea and there will also be a barbecue ($2 a person) from 11.30am until 2.30pm, as well as food and plant stalls at the hall.
