Gooseberry Hill — A garden that grows with you

A long-term native garden transformation shaped through planting, garden-bed renewal, mulch, gravel paths and ongoing care.

The Gooseberry Hill garden is a long-term labour of love. Rather than being completed in one installation, it has unfolded over years through observation, planting, garden-bed renewal, mulch, access improvements and ongoing care. Across several stages and expansions, around 200 plants have now been added.

The work has included planting natives across the upper embankments and lower beds, working with existing rock and changing levels, and shaping gravel and stone paths through the planting areas. Every rock used to create the beds was meticulously collected by hand from the existing weedy slopes, piled up, and re-used on site. The non-linear bed designs follow permaculture principles, slowing and capturing water runoff down the steep slope rather than allowing it to wash the soil away. Winding paths invite the viewer on an adventure through the garden, revealing unique details along the way rather than presenting everything from one spot.

The later stages show the garden becoming more established and vibrant. The gravel paths make the beds stand out, improve movement through the garden and suppress weeds across exposed areas, reducing the maintenance pressure while the plants mature. Returning to the property over time has made it possible to see the garden settle, flower and develop into a living Hills sanctuary.