Student award - Evie Smith

Evie Smith took top honours with Rachel’s Garden, a layered and sophisticated response to a steep and community-connected site in Te Kōwhai

Her design, praised by judges for its clarity, balance and ecological integrity, explores the garden as a space for both private reflection and public generosity.

The 3,158m² site drops 9m from house to stream, with Te Otamanui Stream forming the lower boundary. Smith retained the site’s open character and existing movement patterns – including the passage of neighbourhood children and free-ranging ducks – by designing soft boundaries and a shaded walkway lined with seasonal fruit trees.

Judges commended the project’s generosity of spirit and practical execution. “This is a robust and well-executed design that embraces the complexities of topography, ecology and community,” they said.

Public and private areas are clearly defined, with resting places, handball courts, productive gardens and riparian (waterside) zones across the site.

The planting palette features native species for biodiversity, stabilisation and pollination, alongside fruiting and edible plants tailored to the site’s contours and soil. Concrete from a former driveway was reused in place, and permeable surfaces enhance stormwater performance. The result is a biodiverse, welcoming and reflective garden with a strong sense of stewardship.