5 Rees Street

About 5 Rees Street

Divided into three rooms by changing levels, this garden is highly architectural in
design. Sculpture and tree ferns form the framework for densely planted beds, which include some unusual plants as well as those more widely seen.

Room 1 comprises a limestone terrace with a water feature, large doors fold back so there is a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor space. Climbers such as Dregea sinensis, Marsdenia oreophila, and a grape vine clothe the fences and wrap around the rear of the house. Large tubs contain fuchsias and ferns, and a Hydrangea bellevue hangs over a built-in stone seat.

Room 2 is reached by a flight of steps leading to a decked area with a subtropical feel, which is produced by three large Dicksonia antarctica (tree ferns) that dominate and define this
room. Raised beds are closely planted with perennials, including Thalictrum
delavayi, Ferula communis, Amicia zygomeris and Salvia Amistad. Trellising is covered with a range of climbers including Clematis and Mandevilla laxa. A Pseudopanax crassifolius and a Magnolia tripetala tower above a small bog garden planted with flag irises.

Room 3 is reached by a single step and is the main seating area at the rear of the garden and is paved with limestone. A row of rectangular pots contain a variety of plants including Inula magnifica, Hedychium gardnerianum and Scrophularia nodosa.