A professionally designed and landscaped garden packed with clever ideas

The leafy ornamental pear trees lining the drive and the pots of bright, colourful annuals by the front steps create an inviting entrance to Our Hyland Home, a 1920s bungalow where owners Jill and Bob have lived for around 40 years. The garden was professionally designed and landscaped, with the front done some years ago and the lower part of the back garden more recently.

Circular shapes are a recurring feature throughout - in the front garden, hedges and shrubs create privacy and a large urn is a focal point in a wide brick-edged circle of gravel.

The sunken Mediterranean-inspired back garden combines traditional garden style with a modern twist. Circles of gravel, edged and framed with mondo grass, are set in slate grey paving that emphasises the clean, simple lines and geometric shapes that define the design. Highlights include several abstract sculptures, including a dramatic, very realistic corten steel grass tree.

The back garden is on two levels, and a favourite aspect is the bluestone retaining wall and steps flanked by standard grevilleas.  The steps lead up to a vine- and wisteria-covered arbour and to the well-planted veggie garden with raised beds, fruit trees and three large water tanks. Jill and Bob are passionate about Australian plants, so the productive area is backed by a swathe of bird-attracting native shrubs.

This attractive garden is full of clever ideas: star jasmine trained in squares and diamonds enhances the walls, a timber-clad screen camouflages the garden shed, and a circular bench around a mature maple tree provides casual seating. There are two covered outdoor dining spaces; the north-facing terrace is positioned to capture the welcome winter sun, with wisteria providing spring blooms and summer shade.