Garden of memories

This exquisite and meticulously maintained front garden in Kew, Melbourne, on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people, was designed and built by landscaper Akira Takizawa. It’s a small scale replica of a famous Kyoto garden and was commissioned by owner Jenny Deyzel and her late husband, Ed, who passed away in 2007.

“We had always wanted to travel to Japan but never managed to, so this was the next best thing,” says Jenny, who teaches children with learning difficulties.

The couple bought the quarter-acre (0.10ha) property in 1983, having moved to Melbourne from Brisbane after they emigrated from South Africa in 1980. The garden was typical of the era: lawn and a few trees. At the time, Ed was the gardener of the family and helped Akira to build the front garden, which not only provides privacy from the street, but also a stunning outlook from the house.

When Ed was badly injured in a car accident, Jenny took over the gardening, turning her attention to the backyard, where she decided to create an Australian garden. “We thought it would be easy because native plants are everywhere, but it was trouble from the beginning,” she laments. “Our tree ferns all died during the drought.”

Jenny persevered, with Akira’s help once more, removing the entire rear lawn and creating a large central mound and wide, curved beds along the fences. Although the area is filled with mostly native plants, including blueberry ash (Elaeocarpus reticulatus), gymea lily (Doryanthes excelsa), native frangipani (Hymenosporum flavum), wattles and Austral indigo (Indigofera australis), the meandering gravel paths, dry creek bed, thoughtfully positioned mossy rocks and second pond provide continuity with the front garden and lend a distinctly Japanese vibe.

Jenny and Ed’s daughter, Lou, who became a paraplegic after developing an autoimmune disease, moved to the property in 2010. She is clearly as proud of her mum as Jenny is of Lou; the pair are both keen photographers and have created 10 photo books of delightful images of the garden.

“Dad was quite the visionary, and Mum is brilliant! She has an eye for everything and a green thumb, and has become very knowledgeable about plants over the years. She’s 84 and still spends every day in the garden when she’s not working.”

There are large ironbarks, a huge oak growing in a lane behind the property, a strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo) and other mature shrubs and trees that obscure neighbouring houses, creating a sanctuary-like space. The entire garden is a refuge for both women.

“The garden uplifts us and is a constant source of comfort,” says Jenny. “There’s not a day when Lou and I don’t notice something new. A cycad in the front garden has given us a lot of joy. The fronds take several weeks to unfurl – it’s fascinating.”

Jenny describes the property as “three gardens in one”, having developed the narrow areas on either side of the home with shade-loving beauties, including ferns, clivias and cyclamens. It was actually two cymbidium orchids – thoughtfully gifted to her by some parents of her students when Ed died – that first prompted Jenny to develop this shady space.

Jenny added more orchids, given to her by a friend whose father was an orchid breeder and judge. “I’ve never divided them, and they only get an hour’s sun every day, but it seems to be the perfect spot.”

Although there’s not much time for relaxing, when Jenny does sit down for a cuppa, she takes huge pleasure from the garden and what she has achieved.

“I have so many memories of people who’ve given me plants, and I think about how privileged I am to look after it all.”