Jenny's garden - a visual update

On the left - the 4th of March 2017 as David and Rob from Statement Landscapes bring in many barrow loads of good soil (note there is no pergola over the deck and nothing but clay around the house). The 4th of March 2023 (top right) and the 4th of March 2022 (bottom right - the vegie patches look a bit sad this year hence the shot from last year).

It’s come a long way since 2016! Before construction began in July 2016, the block was largely bare clay… and a construction rubble dumping ground. We used the photo of David relaxing in the garden as the thumbnail shot for this blog post to thank him for the many days (and barrow loads) of work he did with Rob from Statement Landscapes to complete this transformation, implementing the wonderful landscape design work of Michelle Elvins.

Jenny, David, Zac and clan moved into the house on the 24th February 2017. There were no pergolas, no pavers, no plants. Most of the plants went into the ground in May 2017. The grapevines were less than 1m tall. The fruit trees were tiny.

There are now 17 productive fruit trees but they don’t feature in these shots. These pics focus on the shady plants that make the outdoor spaces gorgeous, cool sanctuaries over summer.

As we always say: building design + landscape design work together to create beautiful, healthy homes. Just as houses don’t need to be big to be beautiful, nor do gardens.

Enjoy this little walk through Jenny’s garden from 2017 to 2023 (the most recent photo was taken just last week). If you’d like to go on more of a walk through and around the house, check out the video Jenny just made with the Canberra Environment Centre and this short video Jenny posted on Instagram on the 17th November 2022. You can also see some new internal photos of the house (taken Feb 2023) at the home’s project page.

March 2016 - bare clay block dumping ground for construction rubble from surrounding sites

November 2017, December 2019, December 2022

November 2022. Zac being solar passive on the front deck.

November 2022. Looking south through the carport to the western courtyard (and David’s home office window) and down the little alley way to bedroom 3.

December 2022. The water feature on our western boundary, in the courtyard behind the carport. David looks out tot his from his home office and the courtyard is also connected to the lounge room and the kitchen by glass doors.

December 2022. The little eastern deck that provides steps from the laundry to the yard and access in an out of the glazed northern door from Jenny and David’s bedroom. That’s the Sanden hot water heat pump you can see behind Zac.

December 2022. The view to the NE from the north facing glazed door in Jenny and David’s bedroom (located on the SE corner of the home). Virginia creeper providing lovely shade over the warmer months. Olives beyond screen the neighbouring house.

December 2022. David renjoying the results of his hard work in the western courtyard behind the carport.
You can just make out the roof line of Higgins House (another Light House) - we share garden outlooks with each other which is lovely. Higgins provide the Spring spectacle with the pale pink blossom on their cherry trees… and Jenny’s House provides an Autumn spectacle when the grapevine puts on a spectacular show of orange, pink and red.

December 2022. The western courtyard behind the carport. That north facing window lets beautiful winter sun into David’s home office.

December 2022. The little western alley to Bed 3.

December 2022. Looking north from the back SE corner of the house. Virginia creeper grows on a trellis made from reo mounted on little wooden blocks on the wall.

February 2023 - photo by Ben Wrigley. Zac the RSPCA rescue, solar passive dog steals the limelight as usual.

Below are some more blast from the past shots from early 2017. That’s Josh Byrne of Gardening Australia and Josh’s House taking a photo at Jenny’s House as part of a quick tour of some Light Houses while he was in town in February 2017.

Josh Byrne checking out Jenny’s House (and some other Light Houses), Tuesday 21 Feb 2017 - 3 days before moving in. The team form 360 Building Solutions working hard to get the house ready by Friday 24th!

March 2017. Our 3m wide eastern patch of clay and rubble (looking directly south).

March 2017. Front deck minus pergola. Front courtyard minus garden… just clay and concrete foundations!

First load of belongings - 24th Feb 2017.

Light House Architecture and Science4 March 2023