Fresh fields

Q & A with Emily Hastie,

Landscape Architect at Kamo Marsh Landscape Architects

What new trends are clients beginning to ask for?

Bringing the inside, outside is ever popular. This approach isn’t that new, but the complexity of the design and what’s included has grown to include covered outdoor living spaces connected to the house with full kitchens, fires, ovens, fridges, tiles, and lighting.
Natural products like stone, timber and concrete, and natural stone tiles are all growing in popularity. Artificial turf is also definitely in, with a lot of new suppliers and products to choose from. Clients are also asking for on-site water collection.
And not so new, but becoming more commonplace, is the theme of sustainability (self-sufficiency, rain gardens, ecological planting design, small-scale food growing, water collection, bees) made even more popular by the rise of the plant-based diet.

What have you seen happening overseas in landscape design that you love at the moment?

We are seeing the ever increasing necessity to down-size, busier lives and the need for low-maintenance living and less in general.
Clients are enjoying the Japanese art of wabi-sabi outdoors. This is the art of welcoming imperfection, less of the manicured hedges and standards and more ‘relaxed’ plant selection and planting style. Also we are seeing more wild and perennial meadows on a small and large scale.
We are also creating gardens for climate change; gardens that can cope with extreme weather conditions, especially drought-resistant plants. Not pandering to plants by installing automatic irrigation systems, it's more important to collect and store rainwater.

Are there any interesting new products and materials that you are excited about?

I love using metalwork and laser cutting to create screens, gates, letterboxes, signage, and water features. Also, natural-looking artificial grass, vertical green walls, indoor gardens and plants; and the luxury of robot lawnmowers!

Where do you send your clients when they are looking for ideas or inspiration?

I encourage clients to collect online inspiration from Pinterest, ArchiPro, Instagram, Houzz, or magazines like: NZ House and Garden, Home, Urbis, Defign ... and Abode, of course.

What’s your best piece of advice for looking after the garden in summer?

Apply mulch to all garden beds, whether it’s fine bark, pea straw or compost. Mulch limits weed growth, helps retain moisture and adds nutrients.
In pre-summer, install an on-site water tank for harvesting rainwater, water your garden for longer periods, but less frequently.

03 366 8181 | kamomarsh.co.nz