Sometimes after a building project you end up with a water tank that sits in the backyard constantly full but seldom used. Sometimes you end up with a garden that no longer catches your interest or meets your needs. This is what I found when I arrived at Anne and Ian’s Blackburn home. They had both been very active in the local nature reserve (Blackburn Lake) and had a keen interest in preserving local fauna and flora but did not much interest in their own garden.
This is the garden I designed and built for Anne and Ian.
It makes use of the disused water tank to top up the creek between rains. Once the tank is full, water overflowing the tank floods the creek line, which in turn floods the natural habitat side ponds surrounding the creek. It is a hybrid system part lined and part natural. It is both home to Anne’s beloved local plants and a toy for Ian to tinker with and adjust. Creek lines always need some tinkering and aren’t for everyone.
What was interesting was how quickly local ducks spotted the familiar outline of the creek and began making daily trips into the garden to feed, bath and within a few months, to nest. It is not often in a suburban garden that a dog has to be kept inside so as to not hassle the ducks.
The end result is a diverse natural backyard habitat that keeps Anne and Ian entertained for hours. Be it sitting in the garden listening to the tranquil sound of the running water or meticulously picking out weeds or watching and trying to keep safe the visiting birds and ducks. Anne and Ian’s garden is home. And every time I visit there garden I see very clearly that home Is where the heart Is.
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