There's no denying New Zealanders (and South Africans!) love entertaining outdoors, but creating those spaces can often be an afterthought.
Gail Farrell, of Nouveau Terra Landscape Design, says she sees “sites at various stages of development and often wish that they had called me in before even seeing the architect”.
“Quite often designers are required to fix problems such as inadequate square metres for outdoor entertaining,” she says.
Farrell says it's important when considering the design of a house to focus on the outdoor spaces as much as the internal spaces.
“Dining outside has become an integral part of our lifestyle,” she says.
“How much planning you allow for this will impact on your lifestyle later.”
She advises that when building a home you should meet the architect and landscape designer on site.
If you're looking to capture sun and provide shelter, Farrell says an internal main courtyard works best with maybe a secondary courtyard for breakfast.
You can plan the positioning and layout of your outdoor spaces by using a compass and sundial to plot the sun at all times of the year. “U-shaped houses with a courtyard between, for example, are great for sun and shelter,'' she says. “Family room on one side, lounge on the other and the kitchen in the middle of the U.”
When thinking about your hard landscaping, Farrell advises to keep it simple.
“This is called the negative space, and the shape and colour will be what catches the eye and defines your spaces,” she says.
“It can also influence how a space is used or how comfortable it is to be in. A busy ground plane will not feel relaxing. A courtyard for entertaining should be large but still be in proportion to the house. Frequently people make courtyards too small and later regret it.”
In recognition of the increasing importance of outdoor spaces, Tim Farman, of David Reid Homes Auckland, says if finances are getting tight, forget about the gardens and concentrate on creating the framework for generous outdoor spaces.
“You can buy a few plants every week and develop gardens as you have the finances.”
When setting out garden beds, these should be measured off the plan. If you don't have a plan, set out the beds with a length of hose to get the spaces right or use spray paint. Leave them set out like this for a while so you can walk around them and get a feel for how the beds will work before you start digging.
Beds should be raised, composted and mulched to give plants a good start and to save you lots of watering and weeding.
When it comes to planting, Farrell says again it is best to keep it simple - pick a theme and stick with it. Not only will this provide a coherent look, but also make the garden easier to look after. -
The New Zealand Herald