Coastal gardens we have created

Low-maintenance Coastal Entrance Garden

St Francis Links

The client wanted to turn a bare entrance courtyard into a finished, low-maintenance coastal garden that would suit a modern St Francis Bay home, cope with coastal conditions and avoid the need for lawn or high-maintenance planting. The existing mature aloes and succulents were important features, so the design had to work around them rather than remove them, while softening the white boundary walls and keeping the space clean and open.

We created a structured courtyard-style garden with a generous grid of square stepping pavers through the centre, giving the entrance an immediate sense of order and making it practical to walk through, while still letting groundcovers soften the gaps over time. Large natural boulders were placed through the beds to anchor the design and give it a natural coastal feel, and tough, water-wise planting was used around the edges to frame the entrance. The existing tree aloes and succulent features were kept as strong focal points, giving the garden height, character and maturity from day one.

The result is a calm, practical and attractive entrance garden that feels settled into the architecture of the home. It has the structure of a modern courtyard, the softness of a coastal garden and the long-term benefit of being water-wise and easy to maintain.

Planting & materials: Krantz aloes, euphorbia, tree aloe, Aptenia, Dietes grandiflora, Kniphofia and other hardy coastal plants, with natural boulders and square stepping pavers.

Low-maintenance Coastal Boundary Garden

The brief was to transform a plain boundary strip into a clean, water-wise coastal garden that would lift the entrance area and soften the hard lines of the walls, fencing and driveway.

We planted a mature tree aloe as the main focal point and built a simple, low-maintenance bed around it. Natural boulders were placed to anchor the design and add structure, while white decorative stone was used as a clean, practical mulch to cut down on maintenance and keep the area looking neat.

The result is a bright, tidy and modern coastal garden that frames the entrance, complements the architecture of the home and will keep softening as the plants mature.

Planting & materials: Mature tree aloe, low-growing aloes, bulbine, ruschia, natural boulders and white decorative stone.

A one-off project example

Natural Stone Water Feature

We share this as an example of a once-off project. Water feature and pond creation is not a general service we offer.

The brief was to turn a plain paved corner into a small, natural-looking water feature that would soften the surrounding hard surfaces and create a calm focal point.

We built an informal pond edged with rounded river stones for a natural shoreline effect. A large boulder and weathered driftwood were added to bring structure, height and character, while existing planting helped soften the edges and tie the pond back into the garden.

The result is a compact, low-maintenance water feature that brings movement, texture and a more peaceful feel to what was a hard, practical corner.