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The bush comes to the city at this leafy Auckland oasis

Words SUE ALLISON Photographs JULIET NICHOLAS Portrait JANE USSHER

A tropical haven for this Auckland family.

When Tina and Tom Clyma moved to their Auckland property, the house opened to a deck surrounded by a black corrugated iron fence with little connection to the garden. “We wanted to feel as if we were in the middle of the bush, not in the middle of a city suburb,” says Tom.

They reconfigured the deck to cantilever into the bush and created two distinct living spaces: an outdoor dining area under a louvred roof and a larger entertaining area with a woodburning fireplace as its focal point. A glass balustrade wraps around the deck to give intimate leafy views and to draw the eye to a stream at the bottom of the property.

A macrocarpa jetty-style bridge leads from the deck and across the stream. On the other side, a stony path weaves along the bank – it only goes a short distance, but the effect is evocative, suggesting a path into a deeper jungle. The drama is increased at night with uplights illuminating the vegetation.

Giant steps, fashioned out of concrete but resembling flat-topped rocks, lead down to the stream where the couple’s two children spend many an hour playing in the water or feeding the eels.

With Tina’s Tongan heritage and Fiji the family’s favourite holiday destination, it’s not surprising that the garden has a Pacific feel with its palms, bamboo and edible taro along the stream’s bank.

“We wanted a lush and leafy environment with minimal maintenance,” says Tom. “I never have to mow a lawn or trim a hedge. We just do a bit of weeding every few months.”

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2022-01-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-01T08:00:00.0000000Z

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