A Grand Affair
LANDSCAPE DESIGN Robert Finnie Design • INSTALLATION Empire Landscapes • PHOTOGRAPHY Jody D’Arcy • STORY Elizabeth Clarke
It is not always easy to find respite in an urban environment but left in the hands of landscape designer Robert Finnie you need never leave home to find nirvana.
A thoughtful and sophisticated garden creator, Robert's schemes are subtly informed by his passion for Mediterranean style gardens, like those found on private Californian properties.
Formerly a senior design manager at renowned Secret Gardens in Sydney, he has garnered a slew of national accolades and worked with the city's most prestigious architects on residential landscapes. "My time at Secret Gardens and the experience I gained has been invaluable," says Robert. "I learnt that form must follow function and the art of creating a well-balanced space."
Creating gardens from small spaces in Sydney's Paddington to rolling country estates in Eagle Bay and Yallingup, Robert focuses on the site, considering its conditions and aspect and the home's architecture. "Finding a connection and cohesiveness between the two is crucial to good design," he says.
For this family home in Claremont, Robert imbued a coastal feel that is modern in style yet complements the home's classic design. Clearing the original garden entirely, Robert gave it a meticulous rethink resulting in an exciting reinvention. The flooring was his starting point, with the addition of natural limestone tiles providing a soft subtle palette that complements the home's original stone cladding.
A modern vernacular of lush hedging, succulents and ornamentals lends texture to wide-open ground, whilst swathes of perennials and shrubs soften the geometry. The home's classic frontage cedes to an expanse of soft leaf Palmetto buffalo lawn. Lush and robust in form, it is ideal for busy pets and regular foot traffic.
A central pathway leads from the home deep down into the garden. A circular water fountain creates an elegant arch of water, and a curved granite art piece acquired from Sculpture by the Sea provides shape and form.
An Indian Hawthorne hedge that runs along the boundary wall is layered with rosemary and deep green agave desmettiana and underplanted with vibrant Flat Mat Trachelospermum. Using plants of varying heights allows a sense of scale within the space. "It's also vital to consider a palette of plants and succulents that work well with our Mediterranean climate," he says. "Succulents thrive here and are incredibly versatile."
The home's north-facing front entrance is embraced by a robust garden designed to withstand harsh elements and full flush of the summer sun. A mix of cotton lavender and Miss Muffet imbue a sense of drama and complement the home's more modern black framed additions.
Along the side of the house, a rich viburnum hedge is underplanted with native lomandra grass. On the other, wisteria winds up and around the existing arbour, erupting in fragrant white flowers come spring. A dramatic backdrop of dark ivy provides drama to the scheme.
Robert's planting style is loose yet considered in a minimal palette of greens and silver tones repeated throughout the garden. "I like to plant using large drifts of species, peppering in various forms, foliage shapes and colour for contrast," he says. "I'm not keen on too many different species in one perspective. It's a common mistake home gardeners make that can look fussy."
Around the back of the property, the existing pool and al fresco area are offered shade from large ornamental pear trees, whilst a mix of succulents, buxus spheres and under plantings add softness. The upgraded outdoor kitchen includes a barbeque, sink, refrigerator, and pizza oven. The existing tiled splashback mirrors the pool's clear aqua water. Sculptural outdoor furniture designed by Patricia Urquiola provides a spot to relax, whilst an original copper shower is beautifully patinaed and camouflaged by a mass of Boston Ivy.