Growing a Malaysian Garden

A garden landscape designer’s passion for recapturing “carefree outdoor living” inspires this homegrown landscape design concept that knows no end.

Garden with Attitude

Our infatuation with all things foreign is an all too familiar fact. Well, not for long – if Desmond Ho of Terra Garden has his way – as far as gardens go. Not content to borrow from well-established garden themes such as the English, Mediterranean or Japanese gardens, Desmond and his team meticulously researched outdoor living spaces throughout the length and breath of Malaysia in search of the quintessential Malaysian garden. He was determined to rekindle the love of the great outdoors among Malaysians – urbanites especially.

Although the starting point of any garden design is the question of style, it is in the fleshing out of the substance of this concept that leaves its mark of distinction. Ho goes back to his early roots and speaks of long hours spent outdoors: catnapping in the dappled shade of trees, frolicking in the afternoon sun, sluicing off the heat with cold water from the village well, and feasting under the moonlit skies during the mid-autumn festival. The concept would not only be a showcase of our rich heritage of arts and crafts but would also embrace outdoor living as a lifestyle. Thus was birthed the Neo Nusantara garden. The felicitous term “Nusantara” is used in a cultural context to mean the “Malay Archipelago.”

Desmond was keen to point out at the very outset that he was not out to make a fashion statement with the Neo Nusantara garden because as with all style statements, they come and go. He wanted a garden that Malaysians can claim as their own, just as we have the Malaysian batik. In short, a classic garden that truly reflects Malay architectural culture, taking into account traditional design elements and craftsmanship, local materials and weather conditions.

The result is a garden that sets the stage for a veritable feast of the senses: rich hues of timber set off by verdant foliage that titillate the eye, soothing sound of gurgling water, fragrant whiff of flowers and herbs in the air, interesting interplay of textures, and the piquant flavor of edible of spices. The Neo Nusantara garden can serve as an enchanting extension to entertain alfresco, a peaceful retreat to shed the cares of the world, or even a boudoir to kick back in style.

Striking A Theme

Physical reminders are the thread that binds us to the past. In the case of the Neo Nusantara garden, the team preserves a slice of our rustic past by introducing a stunning range of traditional outdoor furnishings that are both practical and decorative, with each item bearing a whimsical Malay term. A garden dressed in these enchanting accoutrements harkens to a bygone era brimming with the allure of the exotic East.

The pangkin, or raised timber decking, takes pride of place as a resting spot. The dayang bunting is a terra cotta pot used as a water feature with elaborate carvings of tropical motifs of the bunga ketumbit or kerrawang on its frame. The kuda-kuda (kukur), a multi-purpose timber bench named after a traditional coconut scrapping device, doubles up as a bench or a display unit for potted plants. Lighting, provided by the ceramic lampu obor and mounted on a lattice screen patterned after the kain pelekat (traditional kilt), casts a dramatic silhouette in the stillness of night.

From Desmond’s point of view, it is national pride in our cultural identity that should form the basis in designing our outdoor space. “Although I refuse to accept that the Malaysian garden is made up of carpet grass lawn with a couple of fruit trees thrown in, there isn’t a right or wrong when it comes to interpreting our garden culture,” he admits. “A Malaysian garden must reflect a tropical theme that is a harmonious fusion of the Malay, Chinese and Indian cultures. Apart from that, it’s all up to you,” Ho asserts.