Garden design company, Sculpt Gardens and landscaping team, Folium Landscaping, have been working together to create beautiful home gardens on Auckland’s North Shore for the past two years. They credit complementary skill-sets and a commitment to the same standards of excellence as the magic behind their symbiotic relationship.
Sculpt Gardens, led by design duo, Claire Talbot and Naomi Gray, have been designing gardens for North Shore residents since 2014. With hands in the ground (literally) the pair have come to understand the area, in particular, the intricacies of its soil conditions, a predominantly clay-based foundation. “We pride ourselves on knowing what to plant where and which plants will do best. We know how the Shore works” says Claire.
Scott Mackay and Jared Bellingham, the hardworking and experienced team behind Folium Landscaping, approached Sculpt, intending to establish a working relationship.
After a trial job, “The guys immediately proved themselves to be reliable, proactive and hungry. They were awesome, and we were very impressed.” recalls Claire.
When asked about Sculpt’s design philosophy, Claire is quick to point out that when designing a garden, hardscaping is the initial focus, and planting, the last stop. An all-female team, Sculpt believe in creative garden design that results in easy and practical living. Acutely aware of the client’s brief, Claire and Naomi will drill down into the details to ensure that the outcome will best represent the way a family intends to use their garden. How a family lives, how they entertain, whether they value privacy, and where to hang that washing line, are among the many considerations. According to this talented and award-winning team, getting the design bones of a garden right, from the outset, is critical.
“Scott and Jared strive for the same standards of excellence as we do – we enjoy a wonderful symbiotic relationship with them! We trust them to quote quickly, and they are always accurate and detailed. They are great to work with – our clients love them! “
With early careers spanning building, cabinetry, planting, garden maintenance, and construction, Scott and Jared offer a robust set of skills. Claire and Naomi often call on their construction know-how to help them test a design concept against what is physically possible. Combined with their knowledge of materials and costings, the Folium team will quickly troubleshoot solutions and suggest alternatives so that Sculpt may execute the perfect design plan, for each of their clients. Claire and Naomi consider them to be a valuable consult resource.
Sculpt and Folium share a love of Auckland’s North Shore and conceiving inspired and creative landscaping solutions for the area’s many beautiful homes. Outdoor living is an inherent part of life in New Zealand. Kiwis love their outdoor spaces, and can’t live without them. In an industry that relies heavily on successful relationships, Sculpt Gardens and Folium Landscaping are proof that when the stars align, beautiful gardens result.
With water shortages pegged to be an ongoing issue for years to come, we thought we’d share our top five tips so that you may instil some basic water-saving principles in your garden as a matter of habit.
