b'feature gardenA cottage garden is a peculiar choice for aResene Reseneperfectionist. Puriri Lane Garden in Drury is like something from a fairy tale, with delicatebloomssuchascosmos,nigellaandUpstage Dellfoxglovesburstingfromitsramblinggravel pathways. The gardens owner, Deb Sisam, is a self-proclaimedfusspotandsticklerfordetail.She admits she sometimes feels overwhelmed by theOpposite: The outside of untameable beauty of it all.Deb Sisams shepherds hut, called The Gardeners Before moving to this property 13 years ago,Cottage, is painted in Deb and her husband Clive had a straight-edgedResene Dell and Resene suburbangardenwithmondograssandbuxus,Sugar Loaf complementing manicuredtobuilders-levelstraightness.Butitsthe beautiful blooms difficult not to be enchanted by the garden theyveoutside.created, complete with a storybook shepherds hutAbove left: Debs sleepout painted in the charming duo of Resenefavourite picking flower is Dell and Resene Sugar Loaf. Astrantia major. She says When you come to a place like this, you doit is stunning picked fresh need to stop trying to control it all. For example, Ibut also dries really well.never used to want to see leaves in my garden, butAbove: While it looks nowIvelearnttolovewatchingthemfallandwild and free, Debs scatter, says Deb. garden is planted I am a perfectionist, but a garden is an ever- carefully so there are blooms flowering into the evolving thing. Im always apologising to gardenseasons. The tall flower visitors when one of the flowers looks a bit past itsnear the gate is Daucus best or is going to seed. I guess Ive just had tocarota and the white learn to relax a bit, she says. dahlia is Petras Wedding When Deb and Clive first moved in, the propertythrough Puriri Lanes online store, including manywhich looks delightful had established magnolias, ornamental cherry treesplant varieties not commonly found in New Zealand.when illuminated by and redwoods but not a flower bed in sight. WhileTheir own garden is densely planted with specieslanterns at night (lanterns available from the Puriri still holding down her job in the city contracting toof flowers that bloom across the seasons: foxglovesLane online store).a beauty and health company, Deb spent the firstand poppies in spring, scabiosa pincushion flowers,Left: Debs obelisk is year of rural life pulling out weeds. She then startedcosmosandachilleainsummer,astrantiapainted in Resene plantingthegardenwithEnglishfavourites.(masterwort)anddahliasinlatesummer/earlyUpstage. The bloomsAlthoughshecomesfromafamilyofkeenautumn and hellebores in winter, to name just a few. in the surrounding pots gardeners,DebsaysherinteresthasonlyreallyThe garden is open to the public a few times ainclude geum Princess come about in the past 10 years.yearandthecouplealsohostflower-inspiredJuliana, salvia LoveShe and Clive did a horticulture course to learnworkshops. Next year, Deb and Clive hope their& Wishes and aboutpropagationandnurserypracticesbeforeshepherdshut,calledTheGardenersCottage,Calycanthus raulstonii eventually starting Puriri Lane Nursery, where theywillbereadytorentoutasanAirbnb,givingHartlage Wine.nowbothworkfull-time.Theysellvintage-stylevisitors a chance to wake up to a garden filledReseneplants and botanically inspired gifts and garden wareswith the scent of spring.Sugar Loaf67'