Drab to Fab Makeover

Elevated decks are common in Australian homes but creating a garden underneath the deck can be challenging to the average gardener. Dry and shady conditions limit the range of plants which can be grown and people often make the mistake of trying to incorporate too many different varieties of plants.

The Burke's Backyard team recently transformed a drab under deck garden into a serene and stylish backdrop for an outdoor entertaining area. The focus of the garden was a spot-lit turkish urn on a plinth in the centre of a raised garden bed which was complemented with a simple underplanting of white and green plants.

The original garden was dominated by two Scaly Tree-ferns (Cyathea cooperi) which had grown well but the fronds were touching the deck three metres above. While these ferns are a good garden plant and tolerant of a fair degree of sun, they were the wrong plant here and the slower-growing Soft Tree-fern (Dicksonia antarctica) would have been a better choice for this position. The tree ferns were carefully removed and transplanted to another part of the garden. Other plants and rubbish were cleaned up and an old irrigation system was disconnected.

Plan

The plan for the area (4.8x2.3m) was to construct a central rectangular raised bed out of treated pine (1.8x1.3m). Two rectangular portions were built to create the necessary height. By adding a second level you can create a very interesting feature in what was quite a drab area. In the centre of this bed we dug a hole to position a 300 x300mm (12x12") concrete plinth. At this stage it was important to temporarily place the urn and a few plants and stand back to check the effect. After getting the height and level correct the plinth was set in fast-setting concrete.

Note: When digging a hole near your house always assume that there are electrical, water, gas and telephone services nearby. Dig carefully!

The framework for the rectangular pine retaining wall was constructed out of treated pine sleepers (75x150mm x 2.4m lengths). Once they were cut to size the ends were butted together and secured with galvanised steel spikes. Holes were drilled in the timber to facilitate the nailing. These frames were lifted into place, levelled and the two layers were skew nailed together. This bed was filled with a peat-based potting mix from Australian Native Landscapes. The surrounding lower level was also topped up with about 10cm (4") of potting mix.

Irrigation system

In order to keep the foliage dry we chose a dripper system of irrigation with in-line drippers (Netafim Scapeline, 400mm spacing between drippers with an output of 2 litres per hour per dripper - this is available from most irrigation suppliers, $40 for 50m). This was laid out in a grid pattern to ensure even watering and as a guide for the planting. We made pegs out of fencing wire to peg down and secure the tubing. This was connected to the existing 19mm (3/4") submain.

Lighting

The two existing 240 volt tier lights were relocated to the front edge of the podium. A pair of HPM metal low voltage spotlights were installed to illuminate the turkish urn at night. The transformer was located inside the house and the low voltage cable was directed through a hole drilled in the brick wall. The cable was secured to the irrigation line so that it could be located in the future.

Planting

We went for a simple and elegant look of palms, spathiphyllums and impatiens. A large Rhapis palm (Rhapis excelsa X humilis) was located in each of the back corners of the garden. This slow growing multi-trunked palm is ideal for a shady situation. The remainder of the lower garden was planted with Spathiphyllum 'Mauna Loa Supreme' with their gorgeous lush leaves and exotic white flowers. In each corner of the raised bed we made a statement by planting a Spathiphyllum 'Sensation' - the largest variety which grows well in climates similar or warmer than Sydney. These were underplanted with dwarf white Impatiens.

We chose advanced plants for an instantly finished look but you could save money by purchasing smaller plants. All plants are readily available at most nurseries.

Urn

The Turkish gourd urn was moulded from fibreglass and painted in a textured finish in shades of white, cream and grey. It was secured to the plinth using a construction adhesive (Fullers Max Bond). The concrete plinth was coloured with a similar waterproof textured finish. Both urn and plinth were made and painted by Menduni Garden Artistry, 601 Windsor Road, Vineyard, NSW, 2765. Phone: (02) 9838 1645.

Budget (Total cost of materials)

Timber, spikes and cement  - $180

Potting mix  - $130

Plants  - $650

Urn and plinths  - $720

Irrigation  - $40

Lights  - $170

TOTAL  - $1890

Further information

The garden was designed and constructed by Don Burke and Brad Baxter of Award Pools and Landscapes, Lot 4, Old Windsor Road, Kellyville, NSW 2151, phone: (02) 9629 3639.

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