To begin, it was all about the space.
Kerry and Simon had three young boys - they didn’t just want it, they needed it.
“We were attracted to the property because of the land size and with 3 little boys thought the space would keep them busy,” Kerry tells Place Journal.
“We were so happy to just have some space for the boys to kick the footy, play basketball, climb the trees and just run around.”
The property – which the couple bought in 1993 - is a Queen Ann Villa built in 1906 that sits on 2000m2 of land.
But 30 years, three major makeovers, and trips to the southern parts of France and California later, the space isn’t for the kids - or the handful of dying fruit trees - anymore.
It’s for the grand Golden Elm tree, geraniums, citrus, gravel paths and salvias that make up a captivating Mediterranean garden.
It’s also for rosellas, magpies and kookaburras, and, at times, koalas, echidnas, ducks and owls that seek the serenity in the suburban oasis, hidden away from a busy Adelaide road.
And, of course, their playful Border Collie.
Who can blame them? As soon as you set foot in the backyard, the noise from nearby cars and trucks drifts off into the distance.
They didn’t walk in with this vision 30 years ago, though.
“It is so important to just see what happens when you buy a house,” Kerry explains as she revisits the early stages.
“You need to see if any bulbs come up, what flowers when, the type of soil, the sun and shade for summer and winter, specific needs like sheds, fencing, taps and pipes.
“We both had similar ideas about the garden. We wanted fruit and vegetables, sunlight into the back of the house, a BBQ area but mainly a safe area for the boys.”
But what Kerry and Simon wanted continued to change over time, as the needs of their life and the garden and environment changed around them.
A plumbago hedge, “hated by everyone” Kerry says, didn’t last long but it was the decision to reduce the lawn, pull out the roses – some which covered the old wooden fences – and move away from the cottage style plants that signaled the biggest shift in the pair’s thinking.
“As the drought and water restrictions arrived we realised the plants and large lawn area were too hard to keep alive,” Kerry says.
“When an extra piece of land became available at the back of the property more than 10 years ago, my new vision of a true Mediterranean style garden emerged.
“The lawn was reduced in size, the garden beds were enlarged and widened and sweeping gravel paths were put in. I added gypsum, manure and compost to break up the clay, and seriously mulched to keep out the weeds and keep the new plants alive.
“I planted all the tough, water-wise plants like citrus, rosemary, agapanthus, succulents, lavender, geraniums, salvia, catmint, agave, dietes, cistus, some grasses, and a productive herb and vegetable patch.”
But that was just the start.
If you didn’t know, South Australia is one of five Mediterranean climate regions of the world - characterised by hot dry summers and cool winters with unpredictable amounts of rain.
As part of the Mediterranean Garden Society, Kerry knows that – as you will read in the tips below, it’s not all she knows.
And it was on tour of the gardens of Southern California that really altered their approach to gardening.
After a trip to the south of France, which led to the grand ideas behind the major extension of the house, Kerry and Simon visited the west coast of America in the middle of a long drought.
With the issue of climate change also in their mind, they came back to Australia adamant on one thing.
“We realised we were still watering too much,” Kerry says.
The front garden was the first to change, with more than 60 roses taken out. In their place, came more drought tolerant plants, including a viburnum hedge and a crepe myrtle.
Then it was the backyard’s turn. Two Silver Birch trees were removed, and more roses and the taller plants made way for lower, softer grasses.
“That mass planting at a different height provided movement and was very therapeutic,” Kerry explains.
“The widening of the paths also gave the garden a more flowing aspect.”
With the lawn also reduced again, they built a gabion wall out of the leftover stone that was taken from inside the house during the renovation, providing a division between the lawn and the new gravel, as well extra seating when entertaining.
“I introduced more succulents throughout the garden, too, and in pots because they are really tough,” Kerry says.
Succulents?
“They didn’t have a good reputation amongst new gardeners but are now a big part of all Mediterranean gardens because you can be so creative with them, they are drought hardy, have many different colours, and look good all year round,” she responds.
What also look good all year round are welder son Ben’s sculptures that are made from scrap materials, adding to the long list of features that catch your eye.
Maybe there is still room for the boys after all.
“Our garden means a lot to us,” Kerry says.
“We enjoy walking through the house and seeing the wonderful vista that we have created. It calls us outside so we have the glass doors open all the time.
“There are so many different areas to sit and relax. We love showing people the garden because if we can inspire anyone to garden then it is worth it.”
We’re inspired.
Swipe across to see what their garden looked like beforehand
KERRY AND SIMON’S GARDEN TIPS
Live in your garden for at least a few seasons to see what it will do before you start to design or pull out plants.
What is deciduous in winter might provide a beautiful shade for plants or people in summer.
The shade will also be different at all times of the year. People tend to plant an evergreen tree for privacy but then it blocks out the winter sun or grows too big or too close to the house.
Work out the hardscapes like paths, bbq areas, clothesline access, play areas and features first.
Stand/sit in all different positions around the garden and inside the house and see what your eye is drawn too. If it is an ugly vista, change it otherwise you won’t sit there again. Sometimes it is just a paint colour and a simple planting, other times it is a complete screening. You must be drawn to the outside to explore and enjoy.
Before planting in Autumn, work out what you want and how big you want it to grow.
Check what is growing in the neighbourhood as it will probably work for you. Borrow your neighbours landscape by planting a similar plant on your side of the fence, then it will look big and double in size.
Borrow the surrounding views. Plant low and medium plants, leading the eye to the distance.
Check your soil, because if you plant a free draining plant in clay soil it will die.
Work out a colour scheme for your eye, house and land.
Don’t think you have to cover every inch of land with plants or lawn.
Work out how much time you want to spend working in the garden - pruning, watering and caring for the plants all year round. A simple garden can be beautiful … it doesn’t have to be full of every plant or cutting or colour. It doesn’t have to be formal or square, it can be whatever you want it to be. You will be the one working in it and reaping the rewards.
Have at least one main feature that your eye will go to automatically. It could be a fountain, a special tree, a pot, artwork, an arch or just a bench.
There are never too many seats and birdbaths!
One of the biggest mistakes people make is not being patient and overplanting and then in a few years removing the overgrown area which very quickly becomes untidy and a waste of money on the excess plants.
I love the Mediterranean style plants for South Australia’s climate. If you put them in properly, mulch extensively and water occasionally your garden will reward you and you will be able to enjoy sitting or watching the garden, instead of working in it all the time.
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