b'pictures: Paul McCredieWith spectacular views over Waimanu Lagoon, the Waikanae River estuary and Kapiti Island out to sea, Rosemary and Laurie Petherick have created a home and garden in perfect harmony with a wonderful natural setting at Waikanae Beach.ThecouplewantedtomakethehomeappeartoTheretiredcouplehavealwaysbeenkeengardeners. disappearintothelandscapehighlightingitasaThey lived in Wanganui for more than 30 years, where house at the beach rather than a beach house. Theythey developed a large garden, which was opened to the succeeded by combining great designs for both the housepublic on several occasions. and garden, and through the clever use of natural coloursThere was a lot of hard landscaping initiallyto shape that echo the expansive views, from the ranges in the easta sloping sectionand planting of shelter trees. This was to Kapiti Island in the west.followed by 80 camellias, a large number of native plants These are colours that reect the tones of the sand, grass,and trees, and an orchard and vegetable garden. During toe toe ags and the sky, as Rosemary and Laurie say. our last ten years there, we developed a gully with a In January, 1995, the Pethericks, along with Rosemarysnative bush walk, pond, and a swamp area. sister and her husband, bought two neighbouring sectionsWhile their garden at Waikanae Beach is very different inchosen for their location and proximity to beach andsize, style and setting, and requires far less maintenance riverwith the aim of building retirement homes therethantheWanganuiproperty,thePetherickshave inthefuture.Thefamilyhasalongandmemorableestablished an exceptional seaside showpiece here, after connection with this part of the country.lots of careful planning and planting. Their garden has Lauries family had a bach at Waikanae from 1949. Wealreadybeenheadlinedintwoleadingpublications, lived in Wanganui and holidayed every year with familyincluding one by the venerable gardening writer, Julian at Waikanae, staying in a caravan parked on my sistersMatthews.Itisagreatexampleofsuccessfulcoastal original section, Rosemary explains. gardening, highlighting the use of plant species in an exposed,sandy,coastalenvironment.Theyhavealso When they rst bought the beach section, Rosemary andhosted several visits from garden club groups. Laurie sketched out a ground oor layout themselves. Thetotaldesignwascompletedin1998byarchitectThe couple did all the design, hard graft in preparation, Mark Southcombe, who was then based in Wanganui.and planting of the garden areas themselves. This includes The design includes attractive curved roofs to maximisean overow garden on the adjacent reserve, completed heightwhilekeepingwithinbuildingregulations,andwith the local councils blessing. views through the house offer amazing vistas from both levels across to the majestic ranges in the east and Kapiti Island in the west.Constructionofthenewhomewascompletedin December, 1999, with the couple celebrating the new millennium there. They have lived there permanently now since May, 2002. Happily settled in their home near the beach, Laurie says he enjoys the uniqueness of location. For Rosemary, its the same, really, but she describes it as: the dramatic landscape that surrounds our home. before| 115'