Post-quake garden renovation creates a little piece of paradise
Landscape architect Craig Wilson’s brief for this Cashmere yard was to put together a “nice garden”, making the most of established natives on the property. The house was demolished after the 2010/11 Canterbury earthquakes, and rebuilt on the same footprint - although with a different internal layout. And though by the time he was called in it was too late to collaborate with the building architect, he’s been able to integrate aspects of the house architecture into the landscape design with reference to the materials of the home - the cedar boards and plaster finished walls.
Fortunately the land itself suffered very little in the quakes, but quite a bit of the previous established garden was removed when the original house was demolished in preparation for the rebuild. Significant Mamaku, Dicksonia, Rimu, Kauri, Pseudopanax and Cordyline along with existing local Halswell quarry stone entry columns and steps were protected during the build and highlighted in the design. With the property backing on to the locally famous Swan Lake, Wilson says it’s like a little piece of paradise in Christchurch. “It literally takes your breath away.”
