Uncovering ideas for designing a garden from ground zero can mean taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane. What emerges is a scent-filled sanctuary with a soothing sense of déjà vu. For many homeowners, deciding on an appealing outdoor design can involve duplicating specific garden styles, going with the flow, or simply be the outcome of long drawn-out planning. But in the case of the lady of this custom-built house in a gentrified sprawling neighborhood of Shah Alam, childhood memories of the glorious outdoors provided valuable clues to her personal style.
At street level, a neat formal planting of ficus mopheads, with their base encircled by a border of white-flowered cuphea on a wide fringe of grass makes for a cheerful welcome at the entrance to the property. On entering the gates, a well-manicured lawn beside the gently graded driveway greets the eye. Despite not having the luxury of a sprawling space, the homeowner has not succumbed to the temptation of paved parking or patios under the scorching sun. The long, narrow side- and backyard lawns wrap around the house providing easy access from one section of the garden to another.
What is striking about this contemporary tropical garden is the absence of any trees along its perimeter to screen out the outside world, yet it is designed to provide plenty of space for shrubs, container plants, vines and specimen plants arranged within an attractive framework. This planting style hints at the wide open spaces of kampong homes where maintaining a friendly continuity with adjacent properties makes for a good neighbor policy.
What this garden design lacks in vertical height provided by trees is more than offset by the charm from the rich diversity of plants that has been woven into its design fabric. Foliage and flowering plants either planted into the ground or nurtured from ornamental containers border the perimeter of the garden grounds not only provided the bones of this garden but fill this garden with bright, cheerful colors, interesting textures and a myriad of forms. A number of shrubs and creepers add both color and fragrance such as the cananga odorata, agardenia carinata, murraya paniculata, rangoon creeper and the vallaris glabra. Clearly, favorite plants have not only dictated the selection of plants. The landscape designer has also chosen plants that fit in with the garden theme and plants that complement the framework such as those that repeat the colors, textures and forms of other plants, which is ideal for connecting the spaces in the garden.
This ornamental garden with its rich assortment of native plants is not only alluring to the human eye but is an ideal habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife with seeds, fruit and edible flower buds providing abundant sources of food. It is also an example of a garden that celebrates the colors and textures of our native landscape with a simple approach to design that requires relatively low maintenance.
The juxtaposing of two or more plants has a pleasing visual effect and is a repetitive element in the planting style of this garden; a lively mix of blooms such as the showy clusters of heliconia rostrata and the cheery drifts of tumera provides an interesting blend of tone and texture and softens the edges of the hardscape.
While the masses of plants around the garden may provide a sense of flow, it is the distinctive countryside charm of the stilted cengal gazebo installed above a pool located at the north-facing sideyard that brings this garden into focus. A straight pathway of timber slabs helps guide the eye from the front lawn to a raised cengal decking bordering the gazebo. The decking doubles as an effective way to deal with the sloping ground on which the house is sited. In addition, the raised structure forms a vantage point not only for taking in attractive views within the property but those beyond its boundaries.
The timber-floored gazebo, which takes inspiration from the anjung of traditional Malay houses, has been given a modern twist; a square slab of tempered transparent glass in the centre of the timber flooring creates a sensation of being afloat. This airy shingle-roofed structure is a pleasant getaway from everyday existence for the family to lose themselves among the sounds of rustling foliage, cascading water and birdsong, evoking a romantic atmosphere of the exotic tropical East. The occasional splashes of colour of birds flitting from plant to plant add an element of surprise to the garden setting.
A two-tier wall fountain, powered by a recirculating pump forms the backdrop to the raised decking and gazebo. The yellow, timber-grained palimanan stone walls interspersed with granite panels give textural interest and lend contrast to the dark tones of the gazebo and decking. Cascades of water gush invitingly from three niches into a trough, which then plunge loudly in a broad shimmery curtain into a rectangular pond installed below the gazebo.
A cosy terrace sited opposite this compelling scene is outfitted with a roof of tinted polycarbonate which guarantees reprieve from the pelting rain. Furnished with stylish, comfortable teak furniture, this extension of the house provides the family with an inviting setting for eating fresh-air meals on a balmy evening, relaxing with friends and drinking in the fragrance that wafts in the night breeze. This outdoor room built at the same level as the decking and the interiors also serves as the main crossroads between the house and the garden, and makes for a comfortable transition between the indoors and out.
A herb patch is strategically located at the far end of the backyard. Inter-planted with other edibles such as the cilli padi and pandan, the herbs thrive in full sun and in well-drained soil. Heading for the herb patch placed right outside the kitchen is like visiting the pantry for culinary ingredients. One can imagine the delight of the lady of the house nipping out of the kitchen and snipping a few curry or kesum leaves for that extra zing to a traditional family recipe.
A meandering path of leaf imprinted concrete pavers leads from the service access gate and ends at the bottom of a short flight of steps leading to the raised level of the sideyard directly opposite the decked area around the pool. The flight of steps provides a welcome vertical dimension to the garden as well as tempts the visitor to explore the garden beyond the path.
The ornamental terracotta and sandstone urns that are placed sporadically around the garden introduce accent and balance to the garden design. They also pull double duty as garden lighting, and together with the wayang lights lend a rustic and romantic charm once the sun has gone down.
Movable furniture such as the wrought iron dining set with a bronze finish as opposed to the timber bench built-into the deck rails helps make the visitors feel at home in the garden as guests feel more at ease in individual chairs. Placed just outside the pergola, its delicate details and curves blend nicely with the surrounding plants. Finished with a powdered coat ensures it lasts longer and is rust-free.
With all the design elements to make this garden as comfortable as it is alluring, it is no small wonder that guests to this spacious home never have to be invited outdoors. With its scintillating combination of sights, sounds and smells, who needs to?
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