Burke’s Backyard first visited Rene and Carolyn Hundscheidt in 1998, when they were just starting their garden. Rene utilised his skills as a builder to design and carry out the construction work. The original native garden was bulldozed, and a fabulous, tropical oasis began to take shape. Today, ‘Taman Air’ (which is Balinese for ‘Water Garden’) is complete.
The sound of water running and bubbling from nine water features adds a feeling of peace and tranquility to the garden. Visitors almost seem to float as they walk on stepping stones leading across a pond to the front door of the house. Artificial rocks made of rubble, concrete and fibre mesh surround another large water feature. The fake rocks were created on site using inexpensive colour hardeners (a mixture of oxide and silica sand) to give them a natural looking colour and texture. In just a few years the rocks have started to weather and grow moss, and they now look even more realistic.
The large, thatch-roofed pavilion is made from coconut wood imported from Bali. The pavilion is very spacious with ample room for furniture, and it has access on all sides, unlike the tiny gazebos that are often built in Australian backyards. Rene has also imported a collection of statues and artefacts to give his garden an authentic Balinese feel. At night the garden takes on a whole new ambiance, when it is illuminated by more than one hundred 12-volt lights and gas flares.
Well-established palms form the basis of the garden, with an understorey of colourful foliage plants such as crotons, bromeliads and cordylines. The cordylines are varieties of the tropical Cordyline fruiticosa (also known as C. fruticosa). They come in a wide range of leaf colours, including bronze, purple and even pink. In Hawaii this cordyline is known as ti, and is used to make ‘grass’ skirts. Rene’s collection of cordylines includes strong coloured, tall growing varieties such as:
‘Kilauea’ – large maroon leaves with a green stripe
‘Schubertii’ – green with red stripe through the centre of each leaf
‘Negra Diamond’ – striking dark leaves, almost black
For small leaves and dense compact growth try:
‘Cameroon’ – spectacular chocolate coloured leaves
‘Maui Silva’ – light green mini leaves
‘Miss Hawaii’ – an elongated leaf pink leaf
Also interesting was a Balinese agave. Small agaves are widely used in Bali and Thailand in median strip plantings and in gardens for their drought tolerance and compact shape. In Rene’s garden a Balinese agave (Furcraea foetida ‘Medio Picta’) in a large urn is underplanted with rhoeo, or Moses-in-a-Basket. (Rhoeo is now Tradescantia spathacea, but it is still widely known and sold under its former name, Rhoeo spathacea or R. discolor.) Rene also has several rare white bat plants (Tacca integrifolia), which were in flower on the day Don visited.
This garden will be open in November under Australia’s Open Garden Scheme. You can visit on November 10-11 during the day, or on November 16, 17,18 in the evening to see the garden under lights. For more details ring the AOGS Information Line on 1902 261 026 in the week before the garden opening or see ‘Australia’s Open Garden Scheme Guidebook 2001-2002’, which will be available from bookshops or ABC Shops from August.
Many of the cordylines and other plants featured in our segment are available from Dennis Hundscheidt. Phone (07) 3345 6836.
Rene Hundscheidt imports and sells pavilions, artefacts and authentic statuary to garden enthusiasts who want to create a Balinese atmosphere in their own backyards. Phone (07) 3219 5454.