Week 3 of the Kiwi Dream the main living room is tackled.

The boys soon uncover water damage resulting in a trench having to be dug around the outside of the house to treat the problem.

The main living room under floor needs special attention and Evie engages a cheap guy to do the work – only to find later it is faulty and may need ripping up and starting again at great expense.

However, outside Pascal does a fabulous job with revitalizing the BBQ area and the main deck is completed, to maximise the magnificent view.

More problems - the wiring is not up to spec. Initially it looked like they may need to dig up the whole driveway to put more wiring in from the road but eventually they chose to ‘thrust’ the cables under the driveway.

The living room under floor remains incomplete and an unsolved problem.

Find out more by tuning into The Kiwi Dream, Friday 22 November, 7.30pm on PRIME.

You can also visit www.primetv.co.nz/kiwidream and enter to win a grand prize to the value of $10,000 including - landscape concept design drawings by Pascal Tibbits from Natural Habitats and architectural plans from Refresh Renovations.

The Kiwi Dream is a six part, one hour TV series that follows the ups and downs of a major private renovation project. The project, a 1950’s property has until recently, been kept by the one family for 60 years and barely been touched since it was built. Situated on a cliff top above Karaka Bay with magnificent uninterrupted views of the Hauraki Gulf, the potential is limitless!

‘It’s perched high above a beach in Auckland, but you could be in the far north or looking out across the South Pacific from the Banks Peninsula. The city feels so far away,’ commented presenter Evie Ashton.

Pascal Tibbits, Senior Landscape Designer at Natural Habitats teamed up with Architect Dean Wyllie to transform the property into a ‘Kiwi Dream’ by adding a modern feel, whilst keeping the initial 1950’s Californian bungalow style architecture.

‘Landscape design is about speaking the same language as the environment you are working with.... most often this includes the architecture, and if we respect the past, but look into the future, the results can be very satisfying,’ said Pascal Tibbits.

While a team from Refresh Renovations (www.refresh.co.nz) tackled the house, a team of experts from Natural Habitats looked after the landscape installation, to help achieve the dream and make the most of the spectacular views. Each section of the house and property will be transformed per episode.

Episode 1 tackles the master bedroom and the landscaping. The team is faced with challenges along the way when they find out that the floor boards have rotted, the old clay pipes need replacing and the concerned neighbours complain to council forcing the landscape part of the project to an immediate halt, while the situation was resolved. Evie is soon running over budget!

Despite these hurdles, the house team is able to produce a stunning main bedroom, and in the meantime council approved works on the landscape to proceed,

Find out more by tuning into The Kiwi Dream, Friday 15 November, 7.30pm on PRIME.

You can also visit www.primetv.co.nz/kiwidream and enter to win a grand prize to the value of $10,000 including - landscape concept design drawings by Pascall Tibbits from Natural Habitats and architectural plans from Refresh Renovations 

During a grueling one day face-off in Cromwell, where competitors were tested on their building,paving, profiling, pruning and plant knowledge, Blair came out in top position.

After completing a sports turf management apprenticeship West-Auckland Blair started at Natural Habitats as a digger driver, but soon developed his landscaping skills to progress further. Natural Habitats also supported Blair in completing his Horticulture and Landscape L4 Advanced Certificates.

"It has been a great experience entering Young Landscaper of the Year, getting to meet and network with all the industry leaders. Natural Habitats have been very supportive with entering Young Landscaper and Young Horticulture of the Year. They have put me through any extra courses needed and are always keen to help me develop my skills further. Natural Habitats provide a great range of work, so I can expand my experience to become a great landscaper,” said Blair Chicken.

Natural Habitats is 60 staff strong who provide the full landscape process from landscape architecture and creative design to a quality plant finish and ongoing garden care.

“We offer a great career path for those interested in growing their landscaping expertise and it’s really rewarding to see talent coming through that we help develop further,” said Darren Barrett, Landscape Site Manager. Darren also entered and won Young Landscaper of the Year in 2008 and encouraged Blair to enter this year.

With the challenge of Young Horticulturalist of the Year in November looming, Blair is currently focused on developing a winning innovative marketing presentation. Watch this space…

Our Design team has been strengthened with the addition of Pascal Tibbits. A very experienced Landscape Designer; Pascal has spent the last 16 years working on some of New Zealand’s most elite and beautiful properties, and is looking forward to working with us on A Grand Scale.

Pascal is an excellent addition to our talented group of people. Trained as an architect, he brings his own unique hand-crafted style that expands our offering while also complementing how we work at Natural Habitats.

You will be able to get the measure of Pascal soon as he has also been engaged as the face of Natural Habitats in a six episode Building and Landscape Renovation show. This is due to air in the next couple of months and we will let you know the exact details as they come to hand..

Have you ever-noticed in advertisements for watches that the time is almost always set at 10:10? Assuming this wasn’t a coincidence I did some digging and found that 10:10 is used because it’s the optimal configuration to frame the watch and show off the maker’s name. It’s the same in architecture, spend some time browsing award winning projects and you’ll notice the majority are set in simply stunning natural landscapes which frame the house and show off its design.

In the same way that the combination of belt and belt loops make it hard to attribute responsibility for holding your jeans at a socially responsible height, award winning projects combine architecture and landscape design with such synergy that it becomes difficult to distinguish between the natural and the constructed environment. The result is a sense of inevitability; as if both the building and the landscape have always been there.

Unfortunately we cannot all live in the shadows of grand mountain ranges, or within earshot of crashing waves as with many award winning projects, but that should not deter us from utilizing the natural landscape within our own property. Good landscape design improves the form, the function, and the value of any property, regardless of size or location. 

At Natural Habitats we see landscape design as an investment. When done correctly it’s guaranteed to pay dividends of pride and enjoyment every day while adding financial value to your property. What’s more, the only risk is the occasional aphid or mealy bug, an enemy far easier to conquer than the directors of a finance company.

The value of that patch of green connected to our home;

Since landscaping began as a conscious and planned activity areas of short grass sward have been important. In both a visual and practical sense lawns add to the quality and comfort provided by our living space.

The satisfaction gained by the act of mowing a lawn or by seeing or walking over a nice piece of turf runs far deeper than might first be suspected. Conversely the unsettling discomfort we feel when the lawn gets a little shaggy can be disproportionate to its actual importance. 

To test this theory try leaving your lawn to grow – hey why not who said we must trim the areas around our homes at 50mm constantly? Think of the time and money saved and the habitat for animals and insects you will create. I wager that within a matter of weeks discomfort will build. Your neighbours will begin to comment and your property will stand out in the street.

Our personal savannah;

The source of this deep and primal response to our environment is simple. If the grass is short sabre toothed tigers can’t hide in it and eat you!!! Since pre-historic times humans have preferred to live where the grass is short and preferable directly in front of our homes.

So go with your primal flow;

Once we acknowledge the primal satisfaction that we can gain by having a well tended lawn we can start to think of the best way to create said lawn. Auckland with its sub-tropical climate and predominantly clay soils is a difficult place to grow a great lawn.

The detail of good lawn care;

One of the most powerful influences on a lawn’s overall look is the infestation of weeds. Due to the variability of early summer weather conditions in and around Auckland predicting problem weeds is an art.

At Natural Habitats we employ a specialist Lawncare team whose sole job it is to interpret and care for lawns to ensure weeds are controlled and grass is always looking great. Soil management is also essential to good lawns.

The correct balance of fertility, drainage and soil conditioning will create the necessary environment for your chosen grass variety to flourish. Any lawn will need renovation over time. To keep it lawn looking its best it is important to give it a make-over every so often (We recommend every 1-2 years) with a combination of soil treatments and fresh seed.

Irrigation is important if you are after a consistent lawn over summer. In ground automated systems are by far the most efficient and cost effective solution to watering. Finally the selection of grass species is important.

There are a range of different turf varieties from tropical to temperate. The grass you need will be dependent on the nature of your garden and how you want to use the lawn.

How to have a good lawn (you know you want one);

The management of lawns is a science and an art. At Natural Habitats we can simplify this task by looking at your property, your family and your budget to come up with a lawn care plan to suit you. The satisfaction gained will run deep when you know that smooth cool looking patch of green does not hide a single tiger...

By Stephen Blomfield
Care Manager
Natural Habitats

  
Lawncare Competition

Natural Habitats is running a competition for a free lawn start up renovation with our qualified Agronomist. Renovation includes lawn de-thatch, oversow and topdress.

To enter email your name and address to info@naturalhabitats.co.nz, with subject line "Online Lawncare Competition"

Prize drawn 30th January, to be redeemed from February 2012 to March 2012

Please Note: Competition only open to Auckland residents. By submitting your details you are indicating that you would like to be informed of future lawn care specials and tips. Should you not wish to be contacted please add “no contact” below your name.

Trends: colours, materials, plants and design...

The great thing about landscape design and design in general today is that you don’t have to conform to a particular style, people are much more willing to put their own mark on their home and gardens, using materials, plants, colours that reflect their personal preferences.

Having said that the latest trend that is shaping what we do is sustainability. This is not so much a trend as a movement. We have seen growing awareness of people’s willingness to embrace ecologically sustainable materials, green roofs, green walls, native vegetation, eco-sourced plants and heritage blooms and crops. 

This more localised response to your environment is something we fully support and encourage clients to adopt. Choosing plants and materials that complement a particular environs makes for a better end result that requires less maintenance, most people are time poor so this approach just makes sense.
 

Creating indoor/outdoor in your outdoor living area...

A consistent look and feel between indoors and outdoors will create natural flow. You can achieve this by ensuring your colour palette and the choice of materials in your outdoor living area complement those used in your house.   As a general rule materials and the degree of finish should get more natural as you get further away from the house.
 

Lighting; a bright idea...

There are several things to consider when addressing outdoor lighting. First and foremost you need to decide on the mood you want to create in your garden. Night time is an opportunity to create a different ambience; most people make the mistake of over lighting.

It is also helpful to decide what areas you want to highlight. Other considerations include separation and control of lighting as well as cost (you needn’t choose the most expensive fitting after all it’s the light you are focusing on not the fitting).
 

Four seasons in one day; the best materials to withstand rain and sun...

Stone is well known for its long life span.  Basalt and dense sandstone are good options for outdoor living areas because they don’t decay and tolerate a range of environmental conditions.

In terms of timber pine is a good (often overlooked) option for decking, as it is very durable and a renewable material. Cedar is another softwood that is used for structural features because it is rigid, stable and looks great however unlike pine it requires continual maintenance. Concrete is also a long lasting material but it is not as desirable from a sustainability point of view.

Upholstery and timber are generally the fastest wearing materials so it is worthwhile investing in quality products to ensure a longer lifespan. As with anything the more care and attention you pay to it the longer it will last. 
 

The benefits and enjoyment of investing in a well designed quality outdoor living area cannot be underestimated aesthetically, ecologically, socially and economically.

Comments