b'pictures: Frances OliverAfter generations in the same family, a clifftop garden now boasts a cosy outdoor diningsetting complete with areplace.The owner of this Auckland property, David McCulloch,The McCullochs top priority was an outdoorrea realLook after your arrived here with his parents when he was just nine yearslogto create the warmth, the ambience and thewooden deck - stainrewith Resene Kwila old. Apart from when he wentin his youth, hesmells. It simply had to be a realsays David. ATimber Stain oratting re, has lived here nearly all his life. When I married Laurel,lot of people tried to convince us otherwise because gasResene Furniture and Decking Oil to we ended up buying the house from my parents andwould have been a lot easier. You wouldnt need all theenhance its natural coming back. logs and wind wouldnt be such a consideration. But nowgood looks.He says the garden was a lot different back then. And iteveryone loves it. Its amazing how everybody wants to put another log on theor toast marshmallows late stayed that way while David and Laurels children grew up. re There was a lawn for the dog and the obligatory sand-pitat night.for the children to play in. They built a room for the spaWhile the McCullochs were keen to make a contemporary towards the front of the section, but the rest was coveredstatement, the design had to marry with the house, a in the old, exposed aggregate that you used to get.bungalow built in 1921. Timber framing above the area is When the children left home a couple of years ago, Davidin keeping with the original home. So, too, are the white and Laurel decided it was time to refurbish the area toweatherboards that support the raised garden beds. These are edged with a double layer of kwila timber which notResene better suit their new lifestyle. We wanted easy-carenoAf cionadolawns. We wanted all the gardening to be raised at knee- only matches the silvery timber used on the decks, butResene height and plants that didnt require much gardening.provides another place for guests to sit.BuffaloAlthough they sought to increase the amount of usable outdoor living, the challenge was the very exposed site. Living on the side of a hill with a panoramic, 180-degree view, you get the winds. So the landscaping is all about making the natural windbreaks work for you.First to be added was a comfortable outdoor pavilion towards the rear of the section. A kind of lock-up party room, it has a sitting area, sound system and kitchenette. The pavilion left a sheltered area against the boundary, handytothehouse,wheretheycouldestablishan outdoor living area, large enough to accommodate up to about 20 people for a dinner party, that still captured the views. | 107'