Michael and Yvonne Allan.

Michael and Yvonne Allan’s West Coast home, The Great Beach House, which doubles as a first class bed and breakfast operation, sits on a narrow bridge of sandy land lapped by the ocean on both sides.

To the north-west is Tauranga Bay; to the south-west is Nine Mile Beach. The outlook from every angle is spectacular but the winds that come from all directions can make gardening a daunting task. Not that Yvonne’s bothered.

Her summer garden abounds with colour on one side and vegetables on the other. It is home all year round to many different birds including friendly but pesky wekas which love nothing better than to shred her succulents and toss them every which way.

Although Yvonne has gardened all her life and says it leaves her relaxed and happy, she attributes the present day success of her coastal showcase partly to the original owner, Tui Dellarca of Postie Plus fame.

“When planning the layout and forming the beds, I understand Tui brought in truckloads of topsoil and then did a wonderful job of planting and nurturing.”

However, by the time Yvonne and husband Michael took over the property six years ago it had been rented out for several years and the garden was overgrown. Undaunted they began clearing the weeds, saw that the foundations of the garden were still there and set about resurrecting its good looks.

The Great Beach House (circled).

It has taken commitment and “a little loving often” to create the pretty haven it is today. “I’ve experimented a lot and started by planting flaxes, hebes, ngaio and senecio to hold back the sand,” Yvonne says. “That’s worked a treat.”

Choosing plants known to tolerate salt, sand and wind, she says anything with grey foliage seems to have survived well in the salty conditions.

Among plants visitors will spot are lavender, rosemary, a variety of succulents, canna, red hot pokers, hydrangeas, agapanthus, hebes, native renga renga, geraniums, leucodendrons, proteas, coreopsis, colourful daisies and even the elegant stems of naked ladies. Yvonne says summer winds and hot sun take their toll on the property which is 14 kilometres west of the foothills of the Southern Alps. They’ve already had to buy water 4 times this year, however, lots of leaf mould helps retain moisture and despite the long, dry summer, the garden has thrived.

A few large trees such as banksias, southern rata and a nikau palm also provide wind protection and Michael has even planted four olive trees “just to see how they’ll go”.

Each one is individually watered by hand.

On the south-western side of the house, double thickness wind breaks have been erected at intervals, even against the wall of the house. These help protect beans, tomatoes, zucchini, corn, potatoes, lettuce, spinach, pumpkin and silverbeet.

“It isn’t possible to have a winter garden but what we gather in the summer is enough for our daily needs and something for the freezer too,” says Yvonne who also keeps a few pots for herbs and colour.

Come the winter, this practical gardener cuts everything back by about a third. “I don’t do a lot over the winter; just a tidy up from time to time. I put down seaweed to build up the vacant vege patch and also add seaweed to a rainwater barrel for added nutrients. New plants are given a bit of slow release fertiliser for a good start.”

Once the flowers have disappeared one might expect the garden’s glow to dim but it retains a magical quality due in part to the variety of garden art which makes a year-round statement. In particular, Michael has made some gorgeous wooden toadstools to fill one empty patch, daubing their umbrella-shaped heads a cheerful shade of yellow. And nearly everyone smiles at the three driftwood sculptures – the Prime Minister (that she is ‘one eyed’ is a constant source of amusement), her blue-eyed boy and the brooding Speaker of the House overseeing everything in the lower garden.

Although Yvonne says it’s hard to be a serious gardener in such a difficult environment nevertheless it seems her devotion has reaped some seriously beautiful rewards. Flowers abound in summer, yet the natural feel she aspires to is evident throughout – not bad for someone who maintains, “it’s just a matter of shoving in this and that and seeing what survives.”