Green Unity

Mint Design beautifully links a traditional front garden with the relaxed, contemporary outdoor area at the back.

STORY Bethan Lacoba | STYLING Norsu Design

PHOTOGRAPHY Elise Scott

A subtle colour scheme of Dulux White on White with accents of Dulux Terrace White and Dulux Western Myall respects the heritage of the home.

Buxus balls (Buxus sempervirens ‘Sphere’) create structural shapes in various sizes to complement the traditional facade. A potted prickly pear (Opuntia ‘Burbank Spineless’) in the background hints at the relaxed style to come.

A Japanese maple (Acer ‘Osakazuki’) provides green texture at canopy height, above bursts of renga lily (Arthropodium cirratum).

Australian designers often face the challenge of unifying the old and the new. Considering the abundance of heritage architecture, many have become deft at sensitively melding historic facades with contemporary additions. And while Nat Wheeler knows how to approach this challenge on the inside of the home, it was a different story bridging the gap between the front and back gardens of her California bungalow in Melbourne. “I know and love interiors, but when it came to the exteriors, I knew I needed expert help,” says the director of Norsu Design and Interiors.