A striped green-tiled plunge pool behind a timber batten fence, stepping stones and flowering natives around it, an old timber bench on the lawn

The subtropical garden.

Australian natives and exotics, wrapped around the house on every side.

The pool garden, from the back lawn.

Planted for Brisbane summers, and for living in, not just looking at.

Subtropical here means hot, humid summers, storms, and mild, dry winters. The garden mixes Australian natives with exotics that cope with all of it.

It runs from the side of the old house, through the breezeway underneath, out to the fire pit and the pool.

Looking down from the upstairs windows to the stairs, the lounge and the fig growing among river stones in the indoor garden
Indoors tooThe garden carries on inside. A fig grows in the middle of the lower level, at the foot of the stairs.
The indoor garden at ground level: round stepping stones through river pebbles, a fig, and the lounge behind
At ground levelStepping stones through river pebbles, right behind the lounge.

Zone by zone.

Five zones, from the side of the house to the pool.

Side garden

Under the weatherboards of the old Queenslander, a climbing green wall, elephant ears and wild iris line the pebble bed along the side path.

The plant list for this zone, native or exotic, is in the Style Guide.

The side of the old Queenslander in morning light: white weatherboards above a climbing green wall and batten screens, with elephant ears and wild iris in the pebble bed along the path

Side path and green wall

A climbing green wall and timber batten screens line the path down the side of the house.

The plant list for this zone is in the Style Guide.

The side path along the climbing green wall and timber battens, with elephant ears and wild iris over pebble mulch
The gravel side path between the climbing green wall and beds of elephant ears and strappy grasses, leading to the gate, the striped pool and the pink umbrella

Breezeway

Under the house, the breezeway garden runs straight through to the backyard, a concrete path edged with grasses and planter beds.

The plant list for this zone is in the Style Guide.

The breezeway under the house, a concrete path between planter beds of grasses leading out to the garden

Backyard and fire pit

A curved concrete seat and a fire pit under a wall of creeper, with stump stools, and grasses spilling over the outdoor lounge.

The plant list for this zone is in the Style Guide.

A curved concrete seat and fire pit with timber stump stools, under a tall wall of creeper
Tall grasses with small yellow flowers leaning over the cushions of an outdoor lounge

Pool garden

White irises, silver foliage and stepping stones around the striped above-ground plunge pool, with a pink scalloped umbrella on the deck.

The plant list for this zone is in the Style Guide.

White irises in front of the striped plunge pool, with silver plants and stepping stones beyond
PoolsideWhite wild iris and silver foliage along the pool, with the lawn beyond.
White wild iris in flower among grasses and silver foliage beside the lawn, with tall trees against a blue sky
Morning lightWild iris and silver foliage along the edge of the lawn.
Timber deck with a pink scalloped umbrella beside the plunge pool
The timber batten gate into the pool enclosure, the striped plunge pool beyond it, tall native trees and round stepping stones set in the lawn

Every plant out here is named in the Style Guide, with what thrived and what died. The natives get a book of their own.

Join the waitlist to hear first when each is ready.

Join the waitlist

About The Native Fifty

The garden carries on inside: see the indoor garden on The House. Scouting a shoot? The garden, deck and pool are available for location hire.