Quick-fire questions

With landscape designer Henry Blakely

Are there any new trends emerging that clients are beginning to ask for?

We are getting more requests for unique planting such as living walls, wild flower gardens and trees pruned in the Japanese cloud style. There is also much more interest in natural pools and mid-century style courtyards. Outdoor pavilions or rooms continue to develop into more useable spaces with integrated kitchens, TVs, fridges and furniture.

What have you seen happening overseas in landscape design that you are excited about?

Piet Oudolf’s New Perennial Movement is beautifully demonstrated in the High Line, a project in New York City comprising a 1.5-mile long public park built on an abandoned elevated railroad in Manhattan. This New Perennial Movement mixes bold waves of herbaceous perennials and grasses into modern landscapes.

Are there any interesting new products or materials that have caught your eye or you are beginning to use?

I like Capital Garden Products for pots and planters as well as modern versions of the traditional gatehouse and ombre visual tiles.

What’s your advice to clients when they are looking for ideas and inspiration?

Each landscape is always so unique. We try to provide all of our clients with inspiration from our previous work and the creative solutions that we present them with.

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

Spend time on edges and hedges. Make sure to water for more extended periods and then allow plenty of time for the garden to dry out before watering again. This method will establish a deeper root structure and give them a longer lifespan in case of drought.

021 336 454 | henryblakelylandscapes.co.nz