Garden state

By Tay Suan Chiang

When retiree KC Ong was designing his three-storey bungalow in Changi three years ago, he was not just concerned with the architecture of his home.

The landscaping mattered to him too. “Landscaping can create the right mood and ambience,” says Mr Ong. “Without landscaping, the house is cold.”

Garden State
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Together with John Tan, landscape director of Esmond Landscape and Horticultural, they planned out where the landscaping would be for Mr Ong’s home, even before the old house which stood on the land was torn down.

Mr Tan, an award-winning landscape designer says that “landscaping is no longer an afterthought; an increasing number of homeowners have landscaping in mind even when their home is still being designed”. As Mr Ong wanted lush greenery fast, he asked for mature trees to be planted. His architect had to keep in mind where the trees would be, so that provisions could be made when designing the house to accommodate the trees’ mature roots. The retiree says he wants to create that resort feel in his home, so he spared no expense, spending about $30,000 on the landscaping.

A special alfresco area by the living room was also built so that “I can bring the outdoors indoors and have the plants as close to us as possible”, says Mr Ong. There is so much planting around the home that regardless of which room he is in, Mr Ong is able to see greenery.

Mr Ong left the choice of plants to Mr Tan, but had two requirements of the landscaping. “The plants must be able to provide shade, especially since part of the house receives a lot of sun in the afternoon,” he says. “I also wanted the plants to provide privacy for the home.”

From the outside, with trees flanking both sides of the house, the home is shielded from prying eyes. Along the boundary on Mr Ong’s land, Mr Tan put in plants such as heliconias, frangipanis, and foxtails around the home. “The landscaping has a tropical feel and they shield the house,” says Mr Tan.

Other landscaping experts that BT Weekend spoke too also agree that homeowners are paying more attention to landscaping.

Ann Teo, managing director of landscape architecture firm Coen Design says, “Homeowners seek out landscape consultants early in the planning stage, so they can better integrate the garden spaces in relation to the room planning and the house layout.” She adds that “gardens are an extension of the homeowner’s character, allowing them to express themselves in green volumes”.

Yeong Weng Fai, associate director at DP Green, says that “the environs of the house is inextricably linked and spatially connected with the interiors – the landscape is an extension of its interiors”.