By Bates Landscape Design
People often talk about buying the house next door and knocking it down to create more garden space, but few people ever do. The owners of this serene and much-loved garden on Sydney’s North Shore did just that. Their goal was to make their family home of 40 years a haven for three generations to gather, to play and to enjoy. They have succeeded, creating a sanctuary that friends and family never want to leave.
The creation of this garden presented us with the familiar challenge of inserting contemporary landscape elements into the fabric of an established garden. This harbourside garden has all the hallmarks of the Gardenesque character, with quite a mix of exotic and Mediterranean plants under an existing native canopy.
Bates Design is the culmination of a lifetime of creating breathtaking landscapes for owner Michael Bates. Our focus is on creating unique spaces informed by the lifestyle and aesthetic of our clients, as well as the features and nuances of each individual site.
A proud ‘garden agnostic’, for Michael gardening is akin to a religious experience. Our clients - who are lucky enough to live in properties where most people only dream of holidaying - are equally as devoted. They don’t believe in compromising when it comes to the vision for their homes and we’re privileged to make their garden dreams come true.
With six designers boasting a combined 40+ years of design experience, we have long appreciated the power of garden design to enrich lives. In partnership with Bates Landscape, we offer a complete solution from initial sketches to a living, breathing masterpiece.