We’re back in New Zealand today to see more of Jill Hammond’s beautiful garden. She has spent the last 28 years transforming a 7.5-hectare (18.5-acre) piece of land in rural Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. When she and her husband moved in, it was a completely bare piece of land, so she’s created this entire garden from nothing.
The bank garden is on a slope, which allows the plants in the back to show off over those planted lower on the slope. There are melia trees (Melia azedarach, Zones 7–10) along the top, and the lower hedge is star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides, Zones 8–10).
‘Graham Thomas’ rose, birches (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, Zones 5–8), and Pittosporum sheered into golf balls in the front
I love letting my elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum var. ampeloprasum, Zones 3–9) go to seed—and so do the bees!
Crataegus laevigata ‘Paul’s Scarlet’ (Zones 4–8) and Bowles’s mauve wall flowers (Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’, Zones 6–9), with a hedge of ‘Six Hill’s Giant’ catmint (Nepeta ‘Six Hill’s Giant’, Zone 3 – 8) to the right
View down to the lower level, through ‘Blanc Double de Coubert’ rose hedges
My husband built our daughters a playhouse years ago. It remains a well-loved feature. It is surrounded by Carex testacea (Zones 6–8) and Stachys byzantina (Zones 4–9). To the right you can see a ‘Grosso’ lavender (Lavandula × intermedia ‘Grosso’, Zones 6–10) hedge.
The garden is on many levels, so steps are a common feature.
Here is another mixed bed, with burgundy lorapetalum (Loropetalum chinense, Zones 7–10) on the right. A weeping elm (Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ Zones 5–7) is still to come into leaf on the top level.
View of the garden from the upper level, looking through to the potager garden
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Comments
So happy there’s a part 2. You must have a few gardeners Jill to keep it so perfect. It’s so interesting and just fabulous. I love the mix of plants. I love everything. I’d love to see your house! Thank you for your descriptions of your choices.
What a great job at building such a beautiful garden! Very beautiful and I'm sure it was a lot of hard work and love.
Jill you and your family have created a magnificent place to stroll, marvel and enjoy. The doll house must've been a very special place for your daughters. Thank you for sharing. It was a very nice treat with my coffee.
Once again - amazed by this garden! Love the lichens on the playhouse. Everything is just exactly as it should be!
Beautiful!
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