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Hot Water Beach, Coromandel: Private Residence
The owners of this beachfront property at Hotwater Beach, on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula, have always held an active interest in unusual and endangered native plants. They commissioned O2 Landscapes to design a garden based on a framework of rare and threatened coastal species, with interesting exotic species of a sub-tropical character for interest. The garden also needed to complement the impressive architecture of the house, which was designed by Stevens Lawson Architects. It consists of two wings connected by the entrance corridor, which fortuitously created a sheltered inner space, for the main garden area.
Some native species that are threatened by coastal development in New Zealand feature heavily in the garden. 
An avenue of the endangered coastal tree Nestegis apetala, or coastal maire, is planted next to the road to Hotwater Beach, whilst the uncommon Streblus banksii (coastal milk tree) and Pouteria costata (tawapou) are planted in extensive groves either side of the house. A small tree species of Coprosma, C. petiolata (from the Kermadec Islands), is used for the most important grove, close in to the house in the inner garden. A range of species from the Three Kings Islands, situated off the northernmost point of the North Island, feature prominently (see the section on Three Kings Islands plants).
The geometry used in the design of the garden relates directly to the soft geometry used on the house. 
The purpose of the garden beds within the semi-enclosed area, lying between the wings is to further enclose this part of the garden (as it is the most private part of the property).These are the areas of primary planting interest, where native species are mixed with sub-tropical species, such as Cavendishia acuminata and Dizygotheca elegantissima. The grove of Coprosma petiolata occupies the central lawn space, which moves out to the larger grove of Streblus banksii at the edge of this internal area. These Streblus banksii are placed close to large local rocks (dug out during the excavation for the house), some as large as 2.5m long by 2m wide. The rocks are placed within the lawn, so that they can serve as seats at a later stage, when the trees mature.
The number of palm species has been restricted within the garden. The only new palms planted are from the following species; Rhopalostylis sapida (nikau), Arenga engleri (an uncommon species of clumping fishtail palm), Dypsis baronii (golden cane palm), Hedyscepe canterburyana. An old specimen of Phoenix reclinata (the clumping date palm, as distinct from the weedy and dangerous Phoenix canariensis) has been positioned within the lawn, whilst an old clump 
of the true golden cane palm (Dypsis lutescens) has been retained (positioned in front of the Dypsis baronii). The palm species that we planted were chosen predominantly because they have similar characteristics to the native nikau palm, and as such are visually in tune with the local environment. Many sub-tropical gardens contain a plethora of wildly different palm species, which can make for discordant planting compositions. By restricting the general leaf form of palm species used and positioning the palms amongst groves of native trees, it was intended to create a sub-tropical garden more in harmony with the spirit of the local landscape.
The beachfront side of the house is open, with the sole design elements being 3 specimens of pohutukawa ( Metrosideros excelsa), which will form a multi-trunked foreground to the sea views beyond, and 2 garden beds of groundcovers. The groundcover beds explore the nature of coastal landscapes, through the splintered form of the custom-made edging. This edging is based (in a simplified manner) on the fractal geometry of coastlines. Fractal geometry is a relatively recent branch which looks at the shape of things differently than traditional 
"Euclidean" geometry (simply put; the geometry of circles, squares, lines - the geometry from which most things that we make adhere to). The shape of coastlines cannot be explained simply by lines, circles, squares and other "Euclidean" units; but is rather made up of seemingly chaotic compositions, on varying layers of complexity. The edging comprises of differing modules of concrete units, arranged in a jagged manner taken from the general form of the local coastline at Hotwater Beach.
Adjacent to the entry area to the house, the planting has been made exclusively native. Rocks from the property have been scattered throughout the planted area below the porthole windows, to the right of the entry corridor. These will be engulfed completely, as the garden grows into a seemingly natural coastal grove. This grove consists of Pouteria costata (tawapou), Pittosporum umbellatum, Rhopalostylis sapida (nikau palm) and Pittosporum virgatum (a species which grows in parts of Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula and Great Barrier Island). Large specimens of the endangered king fern ( Marattia salicina) have been planted either side of the front door.
Experimental plantings include the use of a Chatham Island species of Dracophyllum, D. arboreum. The members of the genus Dracophyllum are very difficult to cultivate in most gardens (particularly in the north of New Zealand), but this species seems to show more resilience than most. Other significant plant species include Pittosporum kirkii (an endangered northern species that normally grows as an epiphyte), the endangered coastal shore spurge (Euphorbia glauca), Asplenium obtusatum (a marvellous small coastal fern that withstands atrocious conditions and is rarely used) and a form of shining spleenwort, Asplenium oblongifolium from Whangarei Heads with distinct, sharp-pointed foliage.
Three Kings Islands plants at Hotwater Beach
The sub-tropical flora of the Three Kings Islands is well represented in the garden. The tree, Pennantia baylisiana (of which there was one specimen remaining in nature upon its discovery) is planted in a grove in the main area of the garden. P. baylisiana makes a dramatic plant upon reaching maturity, with its lush dark green leaves and slightly spiralling, upright form. A small tree that is only found on West Island (in the Three Kings group) and 2 nearby rocky islets is Elingamita johnsonii. In nature, E. johnsonii stands up to brutal treatment from the coastal conditions (such as extreme wind and salt spray) and makes an ideal plant for gardens in northern New Zealand. E. johnsonii is planted in a loose grove amongst nikau palms at the edge of the garden.
Also present are several specimens of the Three Kings cabbage tree, Cordyline obtecta, previously known as C. kaspar, and a large specimen (by the front door) of the northern offshore island tree, Meryta sinclairii (commonly known as puka), which forms a substantial part of the native vegetation on the Three Kings Islands. A fern species with tropical affinities, Davallia tasmanii, is planted in large groups by the front door. One specimen of the cream-flowered climber, Tecomanthe speciosa, thrives on an old building on the site. T. speciosa (like Pennantia baylisiana) got down to one specimen in nature at the point that it was discovered in the mid 1940s. Thanks to cultivation in gardens, the future of this species is now assured, as thousands of plants have been raised from the original stock gathered on the Three Kings, and T. speciosa has become a popular garden plant in northern New Zealand.
Streblus smithii is a small tree from the fig family, which has large pleated leaves and a distinctive spreading form. This is one of the many uncommon species that the owner had previously cultivated on the property, and the largest specimen is from a plant that he has grown over the last few years. Finally, several plants of the large-leaved endangered herb, Colensoa physaloides, are planted in the garden by the front door. C. physaloides, otherwise known by its MÄori name, koru, is one of the more spectacular native species in flower, with electric blue flowers (of a similar shape to kowhai flowers) that are followed by bright purple berries.
As part of O2 Landscapes' collaborative work with Michael Shepherd, Michael formulated a sculpture for the garden. To learn more, click here.