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!

grounded GARDENS: At Home in Bali.

grounded GARDENS: At Home in Bali.: groundedGARDENS is living the life of luxury this week in a beautiful private villa on the dream island of Bali in Indonesia. I'll keep th...

At Home in Bali.

groundedGARDENS is living the life of luxury this week in a beautiful private villa on the dream island of Bali in Indonesia.


I'll keep the name of the villa a secret for fear of letting the cat out of the bag and never being able to secure a booking again!  Needless to say, staying in a private villa completely changes your holiday experience. In fact we have felt so relaxed and 'at home' that we have had a couple of days where we have simply relaxed by the pool, or slept in the shade of the bale and only ventured out for dinner in the evening.

From the moment you enter the carved antique gates you're immediately transported into another world, away from the dusty lanes, the honking taxis and stray dogs. Close the gates and lock away the outside world and your in a private sanctuary. This is a great idea for any home or garden; creating a unique entry point to draw the visitor in giving only a hint as to what exists behind the closed doors.

This elegant seating area is adjacent to the lounge area which can be closed off with bi-fold wood and glass doors for those times when you just need a bit of air-conditioning. Walls are clad in the pale local limestone; small niches hold buddha's which are subtly lit from above; and the built-in seating has a comfortable mattress and cushions creating a lovely place to read magazines or enjoy an evening drink. The black and white check fabric is a sacred design and can be seen wound around stone statues of temple guardians protecting the temples and homes of the Balinese.

    

Essential to any great home of garden design is good lighting. This might take the form of concealed spot lights in the garden to highlight tall, slender palm trees; or small spot lights to illuminate the face of a stone buddha or carved wall plaque.


Here the lighting over the outdoor dining area makes wonderful use of the local crafts; using woven cane fishing baskets that have been lined with an opaque white film to create gorgeous hanging lanterns. Using a dimmer switch these can be turned up to create a bright dining space, or turned down to softly illuminate the dark timber dining table and the faces of friends and family gathered for a meal for drink. And doesn't everyone look fantastic with their tanned skin glowing under moody, soft lighting.


After dinner it's out to the pool for a refreshing dip. I slip into the cool water and as I lay on back I gaze up at the stars to a night sky dotted with stars.

I feel absolutely blessed to be able to spend time in this wonderful paradise with my partner and great friends. Being in the villa is like being in our own home. The lovely staff are so welcoming and have been treating us like royalty. Plates of fresh fruit and strong Bali coffee help us get started, but it's usually 11am before we truly get started and head to the beach.

If you had the space you could create your own Balinese paradise in your own garden......soft lighting, statues and tropical plants....but you would need to have the climate to go with it!