Michelle's visit to Paul Bangay's Garden in Melbourne
In late November Michelle visited one of Australias leading Landscape Designer's garden - Paul Bangay's Stonefields property on the outskirts of Melbourne. This is an example of a garden with all the elements of good design. Visiting many gardens of award winning landscape designers Michelle is challenging herself with new ideas, creations and styles to adapt to a New Zealand environment.
NZ Landscape & Garden Design Conference 2009
I have just returned from five days in Auckland to attend the New Zealand Landscape and Garden Design conference 2009. This conference is held every two years, starting in NZ and then continues on to Australia to repeat.
The first day was a garden tour where three bus loads of delegates were transported around various parts of Auckland to view private gardens. Most had never been open to the public before - some have been showcased in various magazines - all were wonderful! Designed by various landscape designers - they spoke to us about the reasoning behind some of the garden design. At some, the architects talked to us too. Our tour ended with a wine at Ayrlies, the garden of Bev McConnell, this is one of New Zealand’s most beautiful country garden.
Day Two and Three were packed with outstanding overseas speakers with a diverse range of topics ranging from 'Current trends' by Rosemary Alexander, 'Sustainable Cities' combining 'Green roofs' by Edmund Snodgrass, 'Mud Houses' and 'Dry Gardens' in Morocco by Eric Ossart, to work by Roberto Burle Marx and also by Marta Montero to name a few. All had an outstanding passion and this was conveyed in the various compelling talks each one produced They kept us all entertained and wanting to know more about the various aspects of their wide ranging work. It made me feel proud to be involved with such a dynamic group who are looking to the future of garden design and landscapes and all which that encompasses.
Day Four and Five I spent back at “school” with Rosemary Alexander, Principal of the London School of Design based at London Physic garden. This was a Master class attended by only 30 of us. The class was both theory and practical for garden design and plant selection in a New Zealand context. Rosemary is a real character and after reviewing the process over the two days and buying her books for reference it felt great to remember why we do the Garden design process.
The Conference was a great experience, catching up with colleagues and friends within the industry and making new ones. It made me feel very proud to be involved with such a vibrant group of individuals all working to make this world a better place and leaving it(hopefully) in a better place than when we found it. I will certainly be attending the next one in two years time..
Home & Garden Expo 2009
'Cobbleman' designed by Michelle McDonnell and constructed by Ultimate Landscape's Bryans brothers welcomes visitors to the 2009 'Bay of Plenty Times Home & Garden Expo'. He is 'totally unique - a point of difference' said Michelle. The article featuring in The Bay of Plenty Times on Thursday 3rd September described the exhibit having each piece of stone 'sawn to perfection'.
Formal Training
After editor Lynda Hallinan from 'New Zealand Gardner' visited Tauranga for the Bayleys Garden & Art Festival in 2008 she wanted to meet the designer behind some of the gardens that featured. This included Michelle's own garden that was open for the festival. Monique Balvert-O'Connor profiles the garden that is family friendly, yet is structured through mass planting of selected varieties and clever layering. This was featured in the April 2009 edition of New Zealand Gardner
NZ Gardener - February 2009
North Island Garden of the month. Claire and Mike Nicholson's garden has it all-contemporary style, a citrus grove and a kunekune called Taz!
New Zealand Gardener - January 2009
In January's Edition of "New Zealand Gardener" Michelle is featured in a section dedicated to "25 vege garden ideas". It includes designer inspiration for edible gardens. This follows on from Michelle's success at the 2008 Bayleys Garden and Artfest. It profiles some of the vege tips that Michelle incorporated into the design that made up the intricate rustic victorian plot built by Ultimate Landscapes.
Winner of the Bayleys Garden and Artfest 2008
Michelle McDonnell's Victorian Garden was announced as the winner of the Bayleys Garden and Artfest 2008, show garden category at the opening ceremony on Monday 10th of November 2008.
'Walk through the Ages' Gardens, Lakes Project, November 10 - Saturday 16 November.
This is a combined garden with Ultimate Landscapes. There are six 9x9m plots with a path running through each, depicting the change in vegetable gardens through the ages. Each designer has a plot and an era to convey. Our garden is based on the Victorian Vegetable garden, showing how it would have looked when the English immigrants arrived in New Zealand to start the “new world”. The vegetables have all been grown by heirloom seed and most of the products have been sourced from the bush.
Gold Medal winners of the Landscape Challenge, The Bay of Plenty Homeshow
A successful collaboration showcasing the work of both Michelle McDonnell Landscape design and Garden Pod Landscape Design and Construction.
This formal Italian inspired design included layered hedging, topiary, outdoor furniture with hints of pink - including pink washed pavers and a poodle with pink toenails. This design took the gold medal award.