A few years ago we were working on a client’s project in Prahran. It was on a corner block and we had only a very small space to work with.
Hanging over the whole space was this lovely but very large peppercorn tree. Now peppercorns drop a lot of leaf litter, but they do give a space a wonderful native feel. Our plant selection therefore was designed to work with this tree rather than against it. Being a corner block, there were some compliance issues to work through as well.
The client wanted a deck where they could entertain friends, as well as a water feature. And they wanted an open style fence or screen that provided privacy but wouldn’t make them feel too hemmed in when they sat out on the deck. To be honest there was not a lot of room for all of this. Our solution?
First we created a low, metal, open style picket fence. Then behind that we created timber screening at a greater height for privacy. Again, slightly open to create a feeling of space. Then we designed and built a large block wall, which we clad in stone, to allow it to do two jobs at once. A water feature on the garden side and a laser cut screen on the other side, facing out to the street.
For the screening we used stringybark timber which has some a lovely detail in it, due to how it is milled. When you cut the timber from the log on a slight curve, you get more material out of the same timber. Much less waste, but more screening. It is a very sustainable way to work, and it looks beautiful.
This project was definitely a labour of love. We really enjoyed the journey with these particular clients. Although I did have to tell them off, just once.
You see, most days of the week they would nip down the road and come back with prosciutto rolls, cakes and fresh coffee for my crew. All delightful fare. And it kept coming, day after day.
Finally I had to pull them up on it. I told them, look, if you keep feeding my crew this kind of food and coffee every day, they will drag this job out forever! They’ll never want to leave!!!
We had a good laugh about it all. But the treats and the coffee kept coming. And somehow the job still got finished on time.
A lovely project, with lovely people, who really did spoil us. And a story the crew always love to repeat.
