Well over a decade ago, the owners of this property gave Ron an open brief to create an Italianate garden that complimented the house; an informal garden.

The brief included a street front wall and iron gates, a swimming pool, garden terraces, a driveway layout with detailed patterns, a garden arbour and outdoor fire.He was also called on to accommodate service areas, a pool-side shower and connections to every corner of the property.

Total privacy had to be created and the brief also sought to retain all the old trees on the property, especially a pohutukawa at the front door, and an old jacaranda facing the harbour. A reasonably durable garden planting scheme was also requested.

Ron introduced limestone to the basement and walls throughout the garden. Together with the well-established plantings, this has resulted in a landscape that conjures up the Italian Lakes, it is so completely integrated with the house and its picturesque surroundings.