Kerry Speirs: Landscape Designer, Auckland

For almost 10 years I have been designing amazing and original gardens, primarily for Second Nature Gardens in Auckland, New Zealand but also under the brands of Twist Creative and DIYdesigns. This board contains snaps from some of my favourite completed projects to date.

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Kerry Speirs

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DIY Designs | Landscape & Garden Design with Kerry Speirs

a path leading up to a house with trees and bushes on either side of it

Nature

Muehlenbeckia Axillaris

Side Garden Makeover

This relaxed 'Urban Forest' themed Auckland garden includes a narrow space surrounded by other townhouses. New Zealand native trees (Titoki, Kowhai) +fragrant Michelia shrubs are a pleasing combination along the edge of the informal path of 'Gap 7', edged in steel to contain the chip. The spreading groundcover where the sculpture is nestled is native Muehlenbeckia axillaris. The gate from Eucalyptus cladding marks the entry into the shared driveway area.

A simple solution for an unused but highly visible problem area in this side garden space, part of larger project I designed a couple of years back with Second Nature. Artificial turf provides a practical surface and forms part of an access route without looking like a path. It visually refreshes the space where the lawn previously refused to grow. Sculptural Nikau add drama & impact and these are placed to either side of the fin boundary fencing in a ground cover of Coprosma 'Poor Knights'.

New Zealand Native Garden

Kowhai trees are the star of this small front garden I designed a couple of years back with Second Nature. The palette of New Zealand native plants seen here is well suited to the windy corner site - clipped ground cover is Coprosma repens 'Poor Knights' sand this is studded with sculptural silver foliage plant Astelia banksii. The little hedges to the rear Corokia 'Geentys Green'. There are also sculptural Nikau (not seen in this photo) in the adjacent bed that add drama & impact.

a large planter filled with pink flowers sitting on top of a cement bench surrounded by bushes

Very proud to have been the lead designer on this urban courtyard project which has proved to be a real winner! It has featured in multiple magazines, been in the Heroic Garden Festival and most recently was opened to the public during the Auckland 2019 Garden Designfest. It also won gold in the 2019 Registered Master Landscapers Landscapes of Distinction Awards for both design and construction.

an outdoor garden is shown with water and plants in the center, surrounded by stone blocks

Small Courtyard Gardens

Vertical Planter

Small Courtyards

Specimen Trees

Video: How Kate Coughlan's inner city courtyard garden became a 100% edible oasis

small courtyard garden

a wooden fence in the middle of a garden

NZ Subtropical Side Garden Entrance

Contemporary palisade style fencing separates the driveway from the seating nook in this small Auckland Subtropical Garden. The staggered line of the fencing gives privacy to the seating area while facilitating open access. The newly planted feature palm is Dypsis baronii (sugar cane palm).

a table and chairs on a wooden deck surrounded by trees, bushes and other greenery

Bamboo Palm Outdoor

Tall Screening Plants

Tall Tropical Plants

Plant Screening

Narrow Deck

Privacy Screen Plants

Plants Around Pool

Villa Concept

Narrow Plant Screening

Tall, narrow plants are an Auckland garden designers best friend! At the edge of the new deck in this subtropical themed Auckland garden, I used Chamadorea costericana (bamboo palm) to quickly provide privacy and screening on the boundary, helping block out the neighbouring house and providing the private sanctuary the clients were looking for.

an iron gate is surrounded by green bushes and shrubbery on a sunny day with blue sky in the background

Parthenocissus Quinquefolia

Garden Layers

Garden Mirror

Back Yards

Landscape Garden Design

Building Development

Virginia Creeper

Garden Mirrors

Foliage Layers

In this Auckland garden layers of green hedging include Buxus ‘Green Gem’ in the foreground with a background hedge of Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Bloody Marvelous’ (also known as H.’ Raspberry Crush’ and H. 'Merveille Sanguine'), while Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) which is a is a species of flowering plant in the grape family, surrounds a mirror and conceals the unattractive wall at the end of the garden.

a garden with lots of green plants and trees

Small Auckland Subtropical Garden

Even in small spaces, a sense of mystery can be created! Only a few metres wide, the long narrow garden is divided by a path of raised concrete pavers (boxed and poured on site) which links the deck to a small artificial lawn area beyond. Vrisea 'Hieroglyphica' Mondo Grass, Dypsis baronii palms and an existing Philadelphus (Orange Blossom) were included in my plant palette to quickly establish a lush, subtropical effect.

a wooden deck in front of a fence with plants and trees around it on the side

Bird Bath in Subtropical Garden

Bird baths are a great way to attract birds to your garden and in this very newly constructed subtropical garden in Auckland, New Zealand, birds have already found and are enjoying this shallow bowl-type water feature. Set in front of a bold corten steel feature wall, water spills gently over the edge of the bowl and into a reservoir which is concealed beneath dark polished stones. Another succesful design and implementation project with Second Nature.

a metal compass sitting on top of a cement floor next to a sidewalk with no one around it

Exposed Aggregate Driveway

Corten Steel Compass Rose

A masterful installation by the skilled craftsmen I am fortunate to work with at Second Nature gardens. Our contemporary take on the compass rose is fabricated from rusted Corten steel and this is set into an exposed aggregate driveway. The directional compass rose has a diameter of approx 3m and was designed to create interest from above in a large forecourt area, and to pinpoint the properties orientation in relation to the Waitamata harbour which this Auckland garden overlooks.

a woman standing next to a white poodle on top of a lush green field

New Zealand

Google Image

there are many plants growing on the wall

Green Wall

Abstract Green Wall

Philodendron and Coprosma repens 'Poor Knights' populate this rustic steel clad green wall.

an open door leading to a lush green yard next to a swimming pool and fence

Ground Floor Apartment

Copper Gate

The first peek into the garden of this ground floor apartment in Parnell. Designed under my 'Twist Creative' persona | constructed by Second Nature Gardens. The stunning woven copper gate was fabricated by one of our clever contractors.

a star is painted on the asphalt in front of a house with trees behind it

Parking Area

Driveway Landscaping

Forecourt and Parking Area

Painstakingly crafted by the skilled team I am fortunate to work with at Second Nature gardens. Our contemporary take on the compass rose is fabricated from rusted Corten steel and this is set into the vast parking and turning area of an exposed aggregate driveway. The rose has a diameter of approx 3m and was designed to create interest from above in a large forecourt area and to pinpoint the properties orientation in relation to the Waitamata harbour which the Auckland garden overlooks.