People – Kris Cadogan

At Spirit Level, we believe there is an artistry in using stone, and that for something as permanent as your stone finishes – be it paving, walls or fireplaces, the investment in a skilled and passionate stonemason is worth every cent. You can see true talent in finished stone design. A man who was integral to our early stone work has gone out on his own, and we think that based on sheer-talent, Kris Cadogan’s company, Ministry of Stone should become a household name.

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Plant in Focus – Strobilanthes

The remarkable foliage of Strobilanthes screams ‘Look at me’! and makes it a plant that’s constantly asked after when it’s noticed in gardens.          They all grow well in semi-shade to full sun and they don’t like frost, making them perfect for Sydney. Regular shaping brings out their best.        We love three specific species for the colour and drama that they add to the landscape.

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Places – Ooralba Kitchen Garden

Kitchen Gardening

Motivated by autumn to kick start your veggie patch? The award-winning Kitchen Garden at Ooralba, in Kangaroo Valley is the ultimate inspiration.

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Places – Japan

 

Octavia Rogers, one of our Landscape Designers, shares her garden experiences from her recent trip to Japan.

A good friend’s ceramic art residency in a little rural town near Saga, in Arita was coming to a close. I met her as it was ending and we travelled the width of the country, back up to Tokyo. My trip covered many different areas of Japan, from the historic ceramic village in the countryside, to Tokyo – the 24hr city – as well as art galleries buried in islands, in between.  What really fascinated me about the trip was that even though I travelled to very different locations, I felt there were certain themes that kept recurring in each landscape.

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