Finding Joy In Your Own Backyards
WORDS: CHYKA KEEBAUGH
IMAGES: LISA ATKINSON
I have always loved being out in the garden…
Ever since I was a little girl in my grandmother’s garden, getting my hand’s dirty collecting flowers, making posies, creating fairy gardens and cuttings of herbs to flavour dishes. My parents have a wild, rambling garden filled with secret areas, rose gardens and veggie patches, beautiful in every season and amazing to visit. It is these gardens that inspire my need to get out there, to potter and replant.
Over the past few years, I have had fabulous gardens to get creative in. The most exciting being our garden at Main Ridge. Designed by green thumb landscaper magician Paul Bangay, we have an amazing garden with vegetable patches, spaces to relax and even an outdoor fireplace to entertain beside. Having space is an absolute luxury and every time I am down at Main Ridge I make sure we have at least one meal outdoors, on the deck or in front of the outdoor fire.
Tips on keeping your Backyard in shape…
With the shape the world is in right now, our homes have certainly become our sanctuaries. So let’s make the most of this indoor time and have a look at our yards and balconies, time to give them the once over for health and safety purposes and start using them as they are meant to be used - an extension of our living space. Read the full post Five outdoor hotspots to clean now.
A great way to jazz up an outdoor space is outdoor lighting. Spotlights, fairy lights, festoon lights, up-lights from below trees - should I go on? For creating light with warmth and atmosphere, I love a fantastic lantern. Whether you go all out with some big wooden lanterns or decorate your tables with smaller ones, the glow of light in the evening is just gorgeous and oh so inviting. Read the full post Using outdoor lanterns in your garden now.
Stuck for a gift? Flowers are one of the loves of my life and so is indoor plants. From gorgeous cascading ferns to a sweet display of succulents, I’m all for bringing the outdoors in. With indoor plants being at the peak of their popularity right now, I thought I would share with you some fun DIY garden ideas that will make a fantastic gift. Read the full post DIY gifts from the garden now.
Want to see more of Mainridge?
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to have the gorgeous Livinia from Postcards come and visit me in Main Ridge. Click here to watch the full clip as we chat about the renovation and all that I love about this home.
Having a place to escape the business of the working week is an absolute luxury and with Main Ridge, only an hours drive from the city. The time we spend down the Mornington Peninsula is all about friends and family, exploring the area and relaxing. Finding new places to eat, new markets to wander through and new cellar doors to try out really makes for a fun, yet restorative weekend. Find out more about the area here.
P. S Living in an apartment means that we have had to forgo the great Australian backyard for everyday living, but it has opened up the possibilities of decorating an amazing rooftop garden space. With so much inspiration to be found on Pinterest, in my library of lifestyle + decor books and of course, on social media, I have started making the rooftop feel a little more like home and I can’t wait to share that with you.
Credit: Extra imagery via The Design Files.