This garden is a collaboration between designer Nigel Cameron and the owner, who wanted a Southern USA, formal style, low maintenance, kid-friendly, subtropical garden. Being a timber merchant (South Pacific Timber) he was keen to use timber boardwalks as paths and Nigel also felt that these would work well. Vitex was used as it is the most sustainably sourced hardwood available and a boardwalk design also uses up a lot of short lengths that might otherwise be wasted. Ramps have been used instead of steps so that the kids can ride their bikes on them. As requested, subtropical plants known to do well in Auckland were selected, with plenty of colour close to the house.