A lush garden built around promoting wellness and respite | Garden Design | Gardening Australia

Millie visits the home garden of former guest presenter, nurse, garden designer, and horticultural therapist Steven Wells. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe

Steven embraces gardening and horticulture in his work, running programs to support patients with acquired brain injury in a specially created sensory garden. But the benefits of gardening are also part of his own self-care and have been considered in the design of his home garden.

The garden is divided into a series of unique and dynamic areas planned and planted for different uses. There are areas for respite and quiet contemplation, areas for play and multiple spaces to entertain and be social. And every possible space, is planted. While Steven grows a huge range of plants, certain species and tones are repeated, to create a sense of visual unity.

The entrance garden has recently been reconfigured, with a renovation to the house creating large windows to look out. Steven has kept the planting here to lush and layered evergreens, to ensure there is always green in view. Steven says, “whether it's windy, whether it’s hot, whether it’s raining, I can look out and see this lush verdant courtyard”.

In the rear of the garden, Steven designed a secluded weather-proof day bed, which offers privacy and is large enough for him to lay down. In It is framed in a bright red timber and has been mimicked by gardeners all over the world! But for Steven, the impact is more than visual. “We all work busy lives; I work in health care.

That has its challenges, and even more so over the last few years”. Steven uses the analogy of emptying the bucket when you’re caring for others. “You can’t just keep emptying the bucket. At some point you need to stop and think, how do I fill the bucket. And that’s different for different people. Some people like to get out and about, and others like to retreat into their garden”.

Steven’s garden is playful and beautiful, it is full of interesting plants and clever design ideas. But the most striking thing about Steven’s garden is the incredible role it plays in his life. “For me, it’s part of who I am. I need to be connected to, or in my garden daily”.

Featured Plants:
MAIDENHAIR VINE  - Muehlenbeckia complexa 
FAN ALOE - Kumara plicatilis 
CHINESE LANTERN  - Abutilon cv. 
PLUMBAGO - Plumbago auriculata  
(Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area) 
CLUMPING BAMBOO - Bambusa textilis ‘Gracilis’ 

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