A conversation with Paul Roper-Gee — registered Landscape Architect (NZILA) and co founder of Botanic Landscape Architects based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Paul Roper-Gee, a seasoned landscape architect and co-founder of Botanic Landscape Architects in Christchurch, New Zealand, brings a deep passion and over 25 years of expertise to his work. His projects span from public spaces and schools to residential gardens, each imbued with rich botanical interest and plant diversity.
Guided by a design philosophy that embraces nature’s rhythms, Paul draws inspiration from wild, untamed landscapes, striving for what he calls “cohesive diversity.” His gardens are designed to feel both dynamic and effortless, blending structure with nature’s unpredictability.
In our conversation with Paul, he takes us into his own garden in Shirley, Christchurch, revealing the thought and creativity that shape a family-friendly space designed to delight and thrive across the seasons.
Paul, tell us a little about yourself and your life as a gardener. What is it that propelled you into a life of gardens and design?
I grew up in a gardening family. Both my grandparents had large gardens, and my mum and dad were both trained botanists and keen gardeners, so their enthusiasm definitely rubbed off on me.
I remember the first real garden of ‘my own’ — it was a vegetable garden I created for a primary school project. My mum helped me put it together, teaching me how to prepare the soil, choose what to plant, sow seeds, and keep everything watered.
After finishing school, I decided to study landscape architecture at Lincoln University, which allowed me to combine my interests in horticulture and design. I struck it lucky with my first job out of university, working for Robert Watson Landscape Architects, where I gained a huge amount of knowledge by absorbing his experience. A six-month stint working and training at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens in the UK was probably my favourite job ever. Living in the UK also allowed me to explore gardens across the UK and Europe — so much to inspire!
Tell us a little about your work as a landscape designer…
I’ve been working as a landscape architect for almost 25 years now — time flies! Over the years, I’ve worked in a number of different businesses and on a wide range of landscape projects, including public spaces, motorways, schools, native revegetation, and residential gardens. You learn something from every project.
In 2022, I co-founded Botanic Landscape Architects with my colleague Adrian Taylor. We’re a boutique studio of two, both experienced landscape architects. We enjoy working creatively across different types of projects, including residential gardens, schools, parks and reserves, multi-unit housing, and public spaces.
We aim to be what it says ‘on the tin’ and to live up to our name — we both really enjoy planting design and focus on integrating botanical interest and diversity into all our projects.
Can you tell us about your own garden?
The pictured garden is my previous garden, which I moved out of about four years ago. It’s now tenanted, but I still pop back regularly to maintain it.
This garden is in Shirley, Christchurch — a modest section of about 650m², running west to east, with a classic 1960s single-level brick house. There are two main garden spaces, one to the west and one to the east.
The western garden is enclosed by tall, clipped hedging (Pittosporum ‘Stephens Island’ and Hornbeam Carpinus betulus), creating a sheltered, sanctuary-like space that’s screened from the street. The three bedrooms overlook this area. Gravel paths, edged with reclaimed brick, lead to a slightly sunken gravel courtyard, surrounded by densely planted shrubs, perennials, and ground covers.
In this space, feature plants include Hakonechloa macra, Dianella tasmanica, Stipa gigantea, Rhododendron yakushimanum, Paeonia lutea (tree peony), Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ (shrub dogwood), and Japanese anemones. Specimen trees include Acer griseum (paperbark maple), Cercis ‘Forest Pansy’, and Amelanchier canadensis. Large-leaved potted plants, such as canna lilies, Gunnera manicata, and a large Abyssinian banana (Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’), add bold texture. The garden borrows views of neighbouring trees, making it feel larger. It’s at its best in the afternoon, catching the late sun.
The eastern garden, which connects to the kitchen and dining room, is the main outdoor living space. A small deck steps down to a lawn framed by concrete pavers. Productive fruit trees, including apple, apricot, quince and nashi pear, line the perimeter. The garden beds are filled with ‘planting experiments’ — a mix of leafy grasses, flowering perennials, and low clipped hedging (buxus), all crammed into a small space.
My two daughters grew up in this garden, from toddlers to teenagers. It evolved with them, accommodating kids’ play equipment, paddling pools and soccer games. We also had free-range chickens, which would roam the garden when we let them!
Is there a particular aspect of gardens that keeps you passionate and motivated in what you do?
Gardens are not static — they constantly evolve, change, and need editing. I think that’s what makes them so exciting: the ability to craft something together with Mother Nature.
You set up the spatial arrangement, plant, and then let things grow, all the while observing and not being afraid to tweak and adjust as the garden matures. There’s a fascination and joy in watching how a garden transforms throughout the year and across the seasons. With considered plant selections, you can highlight different seasons through changes in colour and texture.
I get inspired by natural, wild landscapes and look to see how nature arranges plants to recreate some of that feeling in the garden. Natural landscapes have massive diversity and complexity, but they appear effortless and cohesive. I guess I try to bring that sense of ‘cohesive diversity’ into my own garden and the gardens I design.
At the same time, I’m conscious of not trying to force plants to grow where they don’t naturally want to — working with plants that are well-suited to the specific location and conditions is key. Gardens give you room to experiment and make changes, and I think that’s what keeps me motivated.
What are your favourite plants to grow, and why?
I feel like the range and diversity of plants I’d like to grow just keeps getting bigger and bigger the more I garden at home and visit other people’s gardens – getting inspired by what they’re growing.
But, at the end of the day, the best plant selection always comes down to what suits the specific site conditions — soil, sun, drainage, and so on. At the moment, I’m experimenting with growing a naturalistic mix of herbaceous perennials, bulbs, grasses and succulents that are well-suited to the dry, free-draining conditions at home. I like using both native and exotic plants and mixing them together where it’s appropriate.
What would you say to encourage someone who is starting on a gardening journey?
Make a start — have a go! Find a friend to help you with the basics, but the best way to learn is through trial and error, and by taking the time to observe the garden and the plants growing in it. This helps you understand what the plants need to thrive.
Celebrate the little changes and fluctuations in the garden; watch how it evolves and develops, and see how the plants respond to the soil and climate. Don’t be afraid to move things around to find the best spot for them.
