Cashel Garden

Cashel is the creation of architects John and Pauline Trengrove. In 1993 they laid out the garden around their new Palladian style house on a flat four hectare site on the Canterbury Plains. In the distance to the west lie the often snow-covered Southern Alps. Pauline is the sister of Sir Miles Warren, and had played a large part in the creation of his garden, Ohinetahi. The situation here at Cashel is totally different.

The approach to the house is by gravel drive and courtyard. On the other side of the house, facing the mountains is a large lawn backed by an immaculately clipped long dark green macrocarpa hedge. To the left and to the right of the house are garden rooms which are hedged to provide shelter from the winds to allow herbaceous plants and roses to grow in relative comfort. Beyond, a gap in the hedge reveals a small canal set in a long lawn with hornbeam hedges stretching along either side. The garden is brought together by several long axes which meet and cross at various points, thus providing interesting vistas. These axes bring to mind the style of 17th and early 18th century large European estates with their avenues and bosquets. Beside or along these axes are garden areas with distinct themes, containing fruit trees, artichokes, a large pond and other areas of interest. Of particular interest are spectacular twin 5 metre wide and 750 metre long borders of New Zealand native plants (Photo 1).

Already very attractive around the house, this young garden will grow into a most interesting place as its trees mature to increase the vertical component and improve shelter.

Glossary