For owners Paul and Catherine Evans, this beachfront garden is true bliss. A paradise for the eyes, ears, nose and toes, it pushes the boundaries of indoor-outdoor living. Little wonder it won its creator, Fifth Season Landscapes, Landscape Designer of the Year at the Landscape Design Institute Awards late last year.
But when the studio's director of design, Phil Antcliff, and design manager, Levi Carter, walked through the gate in 2017, it was far from the award-winner it would become. "It was one-dimensional, with simple border hedging along the boundaries and a large lawn at the front," says Phil. "It was struggling with the coastal conditions, shaded areas and a poor plant palette."
Paul and Catherine had asked architects Utz Sanby to elevate their Cape Cod-style weekender into their full-time home. And the garden needed to up its game, too. From Fifth Season they requested a garden that was an extension of the living spaces, which sit right on the beach.
It had to include "a multifaceted, built-in cooking station", ample informal seating, storage for water sports equipment and two outdoor showers for two active empty-nesters. Out the front, where there was a generous setback from the street, the garden had to include easy access, another sitting area and seduce the eye.
"'Contemporary coastal' was the stylistic approach, focusing on clean lines and raw materials, combined with a layered softness, to sit effortlessly within the beach setting and complement the architecture," says Phil. "We wanted a garden that reflected the home's Cape Cod style, but with modern elements and structure, coastal and native in feel, with places to pause," adds Paul.
The design duo used the borrowed beachscape as both their inspiration and their creative canvas. "The relaxed feeling that comes with beachfront living, combined with the owners' passion for intriguing and eclectic planting, were driving factors," says Phil. "Uninterrupted views of that ultimate water backdrop and places to immerse yourself while enjoying these were also key."
In answer, living areas flow out to a covered blackbutt deck with the garden beyond, blurring the lines between built form and the informal spaces below of fire pit, open lawn and stepper access to the beach.
Two majestic Norfolk Island pines perfectly frame that aspect. But their presence proved a double-edged sword, because Phil and Levi needed to choose plants that would cope with their dense leaf drop and mature root systems. They also had to contend with unforgiving sandy soil.
In the front yard, Phil and Levi provided immediate visual impact, as well as a sheltered retreat for when the wind picks up on the estuary. "The setback gave us space to create a layered garden that also softened the architecture," says Levi.
Recycled-hardwood picket fencing, both front and back, subtly defines the property without interrupting sightlines to beach and street. "The ever-changing nature of this material allows it to mature with the house and garden," says Phil.
Concrete, too, provides continuity throughout, expressed in large pavers, built-in seating and custom cooking areas and, perhaps most strikingly, as a sculptural letterbox plinth for street presence. "Raw concrete was chosen for its malleability and durability, with this finish also injecting contemporary style," says Levi.
Plantings, largely native, were chosen for their robustness, including tolerance for poor soils and little water, together with low maintenance - this active couple has little time for fuss. "It showcases what can be achieved with a largely native palette," says Phil. "Within this palette, however, a layered softness creates inviting and interesting spaces front and back."
Four coastal banksias (Banksia integrifolia) on the street side provide verticality while their sparse canopy also lets natural light to the understorey. Massed plantings of Gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa) and pigface (Carpobrotus glaucescens) lend lushness and seasonal colour. But, perhaps most strikingly, mounds of no-mow grass (Zoysia tenuifolia) beautifully offset the burnished concrete stepping stones, their undulations tempering the straight lines of the hardscaping and the architecture, while also teasing the toes.
"We make good use of all the spaces," says Paul. "We place bean bags in the front garden and chat to passers-by." Those bean bags are also used to while away hours under the Norfolk pines. Another nice touch: two hot-water outdoor showers to enjoy when the couple emerge from the water.
His favourite features? Where to start? "The slatted fences, which we wanted from the outset. And the floating concrete benches are epic, gorgeous modernity, matching the concrete steppers and the floating barbecue bench. These themes hold the garden together. And, plant-wise, I love the banksias, which have grown to become structural and attract birdlife, and how their silver leaves move in the wind. And, of course, the Zoysia."
"Once you step through the front gate, you slip into relaxation mode, immersing yourself in a tranquil, subtle blending of beach and bush. It's all best enjoyed barefoot," says Phil.
Fifth Season Landscapes, Chatswood, NSW; (02) 9417 2111 or 5thseason.com.au