Create your own Balinese paradise.

Last week I was writing from the sunny, balmy island of Bali. Today I'm home in Sydney and the rain is splashing against the window glass; the wind has died down a little...... but the heating in on high!  Brrrrrrrr


Wouldn't it be lovely to have a bit of Bali, or for that matter any paradise you dream about, in your own garden. Sometimes all it takes is a couple of statues or ornaments the remind you of a particular place, or specific plants to evoke feeling and memories of being on holiday....every day!

This is a garden I created about 10 years ago and it holds a very special place in my heart. It started with a rectangle of sand that didn't even have a blade of grass. The pool was put in, decking boardwalks were laid and garden beds planted with numerous palms and other 'tropical' plants.

At the rear of the garden a 'bale' style pavilion was created that easily converted to a daybed for lounging about on sunny afternoons. A tented canvas roof clipped in to provide shade but could be removed to let the sun shine in. Gauzy curtains could be easily clipped in to add an air of whimsey and create an outdoor room.


When planning a garden of a particular style it's essential to choose plants that evoke the feeling your looking for, however sometimes tropical plants don't always thrive in sub-tropical conditions. To create the upper story I planted Bangalo Palms, commonly known as  Archontophoenix cunninghamia.  These are tall growing, elegant palms that are 'self cleaning' which means the plam fronds will drop without having to be cut off. Another essential plant for a tropical-style garden is the Frangipani or Plumaria sp. The beautiful colours and fragrance of the flowers is pure 'holiday'!

You can also notice the statues and carvings that help to create the mood. The white stone is very typical of Bali and I had a wonderful time shopping in Batabulan in Bali; an area renowned for stone carving. I picked out a huge array of statues, bowles, stands, lanterns and wall plaques and had them all packed up and shipped home to Sydney.

           

It's these small decorative features that can really help to bring your garden design together. But you don't need to go to Bali to get the goods....although it is a good excuse for a quick getaway.... "honey....I have to go to Bali to buy some sculptures for the garden".....I'm sure that would go down well.

Another idea I incorporated into the garden was an outdoor shower. I thought it would be fun as outdoor showers are common in the tropics, and it could be useful to wash off the dirt and grime from working in the garden before plunging into the pool.

So no matter what your garden style is....or your favourite holiday destination, you can bring a little paradise to your own home. You could even set up your balcony with a daybed and some palms, have a frangipani in a pot, put some decking tiles down over those grotty old quarry tiles. Add a splash of colour with bright pots and incorporate a water-feature to blur the city noise.

Whatever you do, think outside the square and get gardening!