Wild Oak Landscape Design
Kapiti Coast
A big focus was on the planting.
I used bold colours and strong shapes that could hold their own next to the wild beauty of the estuary, but still felt connected to it.
The plants weren’t just there to fill space - they became a feature themselves, creating movement, texture, and colour that shift with the seasons, much like the estuary itself.
This project on the Kāpiti Coast was one of those special ones where the setting really guided the design.
With the estuary right next door, the landscape already had a strong sense of place, and my goal was to create a garden that felt like a natural extension of it-rather than something separate or imposed.
I wanted the design to settle into the land, to feel like it belonged there all along.
One of my favourite parts of this design was the addition of a pétanque court. There was a large dip in the section that could’ve easily been overlooked or filled in, but instead, we embraced it.
The court now sits comfortably within that space, surrounded by planting that softens the edges and makes it feel tucked away - like a little hideaway within the garden. It’s a great example of how working with the land, rather than against it, can create something really special.