This is a column by landscapers, for landscapers. In it, you’ll find knowledge, views and insights from professionals just like you, who are currently working in the industry
Brooks Landscapes
Interviewee: Hamish Brooks
Location: Bay of Plenty
Staff: 6
Up here, the heat is a big killer of plants, so we need to use species that can withstand it. On top of that, we’re constantly managing clients’ expectations of what’s possible. For example, we get a lot of requests to use little stones in garden beds – but we have to be very careful about where they’re placed, as stone conducts heat and can burn plants.
As we’re a landscape design and construction company, if I get the chance to design a landscape from scratch, I’ll always try to minimise hard surfaces and include a lot of greenery. Also, we often include water features to create a cooler environment; having a source of running water is a brilliant way of doing that.
We’re currently designing a drop-down waterfall, which is going to be in full sun all day, so it’s important that we include plants that can withstand the heat. Our plan is to use bigger specimens to create shade for plants that like water.
Outdoors Landscape Design & Construction
Interviewee: Jeremy Andrews
Location: Wellington
Staff: 3
Clients are certainly aware that the climate is getting hotter. For example, most people know they can’t water their garden as frequently as they could 20 or 30 years ago. Because of that, I typically suggest hardier, low-maintenance plants that can withstand drought. I use a lot of Australian and South African natives, such as Leucadendrons and Proteas. There are some good Kiwi species, but they’re not as hardy.
I also like to use hardier species of turf, as not everyone wants an artificial lawn. A good option is tall fescue turf with heavier mulching (ideally 100mm thick) to keep soils moist and help suppress weed growth.
Creating areas of shade, using trees or overhead structures, is also important. I also like to add deciduous climbers to features like pergolas. I recently did a little arbour that had an ornamental grape growing over it, which worked well to keep it cooler.
Greenfox
Interviewee: Brendon Fox
Location: Wanaka
Staff: 18
It gets very hot and dry in Wanaka, so one of the things we’re doing is moving away from using grass because it requires a lot of water. Instead, we like to build up thicker layers of planting using canopy trees, then shrubs, tussocks, and groundcovers, so the plants can absorb some of the heat and create more shaded areas for our clients.
To complement that, we do a lot of work installing pergolas. We also do a lot of local native planting that is drought and heat tolerant, such as ake ake. Cabbage trees work well here, as does flax.
I like to recommend to clients that they plant fruit trees, such as cherry and peaches, because they provide shade in summer and, in winter, the shedding foliage reveals views of the mountains. Plus, our clients get a source of food in their backyard, which helps with food resilience if there was ever a big earthquake!