Design, horticultural knowledge and construction ability all played a part in scoring top honours for southern companies in Landscaping New Zealand's recent awards, Gillian Vine reports.
When Nowhere were those standards better demonstrated than in Otago and Southland, where three companies were awarded gold for small residential, large residential and commercial projects.
Of these three, Dunedin company Design & Garden Landscapes took the Resene Best Residential Project for its work on the Thom garden at Doctor's Point, a large residential project, then went on to score the premier award, Landscape of the Year, for the same property.
First-time entrant Ecco Landscapes, of Wanaka, won gold for the Latimour garden, which also won silver for horticulture.
In addition to the premier award, Design & Garden Landscapes won silver for two other gardens, and bronze for the McKinney garden (small residential) in Dunedin, which also scored silver for construction; plus bronze and silver for another small residential garden, the McDonald property, also in Dunedin.
The judges' accolades for the Thom garden said it was ''set to be one of New Zealand's premier residential projects, exemplifying excellence in design'' at all levels. They praised the ''very New Zealand flavour ...
using native plants and local materials in modern and clever ways to connect the different levels of the garden and provide views and connections to the surrounding landscape''.
The McKinney garden was ''a modern design response with strong lines linking well with the historic arts and crafts house'', the judges said.
The ''small, complex space'' was enhanced by both vertical and horizontal design aspects, they said.
Design & Garden Landscapes founder Wayne Butson designed all the gardens and was delighted with the results.
''It is the most prestigious industry award any landscaper or landscaping company can hope to win,'' he said.
''Getting any award is a thrill but to be top overall is a huge honour.''
Described by his staff as ''an exceptional plantsman'', Mr Butson makes excellent use of native and exotic plants in all his designs, underpinned by innovative use of hard landscaping materials, including wood, stone and pavers.
Colour is coming back into gardens, not only with flowers but also by using products like StoneSet, a resin-bound porous paving that comes in various shades.
Putting an entry into the awards sounds almost as challenging as the design work. Obviously, the owners have to agree to take part and the garden must have matured enough to prove that the original concept has worked as planned. Dozens of photographs are taken and the team of three judges visits every property to assess it.
This is the second time Design & Garden Landscapes has taken top honours in the biennial competition and the results underscore the value of using a professional company when designing or revamping a garden.
A common failure was not to take into account technical issues such as proper support for walls or choosing plants unsuitable for the area or individual property, Mr Butson said.
''Professional landscaping isn't cheap but it adds value to your property.''
