Our client, a passionate gardener, had spent many years travelling through Japan on walking, garden and textile tours, and was drawn to the quiet beauty and restraint of eastern garden traditions. Following a significant life transition — downsizing from a large Federation home and expansive garden in Epping to a townhouse at the rear of a strata complex — the landscape became both a place of renewal and reflection.
The design is grounded in the principles of wabi sabi: finding beauty in imperfection, authenticity and the natural passage of time. This philosophy offered a meaningful lens through which to view the garden, allowing it to evolve gradually, respond to nature and embrace change rather than resist it.
Revealing potential through transformation
The existing garden had been neglected for many years and was heavily overgrown. Bamboo from a neighbouring property had encroached significantly, visually compressing the space and rendering parts of the rear yard inaccessible. What planting remained was interspersed with unstable, dated concrete pavers laid on sand. Despite its condition, the site offered unexpected opportunity — once cleared, several additional metres of usable garden were revealed along the rear boundary.
Key requirements were simple yet purposeful: a covered space for entertaining, a modest lawn for the client’s dog, and gardens designed for enjoyment, contemplation and seasonal interest.
Design and regulatory coordination
ecodesign was engaged to design and construct all landscaped areas within the front, side and rear gardens. Early in the process, we investigated planning and regulatory controls affecting site coverage and the proposed teahouse structure. A Development Application was successfully obtained for the teahouse, brick boundary wall, fencing and an integrated root barrier along the rear boundary to prevent future bamboo intrusion.
Construction within constraints
As the townhouse sat at the end of a row, site access was limited to a single point near the front door. A temporary fence system was implemented, and existing boundary fencing was utilised to secure the site. The strata driveway carried a strict two-tonne weight limit, requiring all materials to be delivered and removed manually via utes and trailers.
A mini excavator and tracked dumper were carefully manoeuvred onto site for limited use, enabling demolition, site clean-out and earthworks. Weed-infested topsoil was removed where required, and levels were carefully re-established to support new structures and planting.
A garden of crafted moments
The heart of the garden is a low-profile teahouse pavilion, conceived as a garden room rather than a standalone structure. Concrete footings and a slab beneath the pavilion provide long-term durability, while stone-clad planter and sitting walls, timber benches, a ceiling fan and traditional Sakura lanterns create warmth and intimacy.
A decorative hardwood boundary fence, moon gate formed from custom-rolled steel and timber trellis, and a side entry gate with pergola and climbing plants introduce moments of transition and discovery. Bluestone paving, pebble “philosopher’s” paths and a zen garden with carefully placed rocks reinforce the contemplative nature of the space.
Water features — including a shishi odoshi and lily bowl — add sound and movement, while garden lighting extends the garden’s use into the evening. Extensive planting, including a transplanted Japanese maple (Acer palmatum dissectum atropurpureum), softens the structure and allows the garden to mature gracefully.
A living, evolving garden
Delivered in stages, the garden continues to evolve as planting establishes and the client adds new layers over time. Variations were managed collaboratively on site, responding intuitively as spaces became more defined.
The result is a deeply personal garden — one that balances structure with softness, intention with spontaneity. A place of calm and reflection, it celebrates the imperfect, the transient and the enduring beauty of a garden shaped by time.
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