Nicola Brunt tends to both her ‘zen’ and potager gardens in Waimate, South Canterbury
A story brought to you in partnership with Resene.
In Waimate, along the oak lined street deep in South Canterbury, lies a modern cottage garden combining the functional with the ornate. The air is moderately dry, carrying the noticeable trace of marine salt. This garden belongs to Nicola Brunt, a qualified horticulturalist, artist, and mother of seven (with three children currently living at home), who created the garden with her own hands for one purpose: to slow the hurried pace of life long enough to inspire a feeling of peace and ease.
Nicola Brunt, qualified horticulturist, “editing” the garden.
The landscape around the cottage is split between her potager and ‘zen’ gardens. The former being Nicola’s first love. In her early twenties she met a friend and mentor who cultivated an organic garden outside her own cottage in mid-Canterbury. The primary idea behind the English cottage garden is an informal design using traditional materials, dense planting and edible plants. It is homely and functional in nature, though flowers were eventually added to fill spaces between vegetables, fruit trees and herbs. ‘You can’t have a cottage garden without a rose,’ Nicola says. ‘They are simply romantic.’ The traditional cottage garden is known for its grace and charm.
Both gardens were designed with the idea to host gatherings for loved ones to relax before returning to their busy lives. In the colder months, Nicola’s family either enjoy meals from the small rustic wood fire BBQ she designed and made herself, or they head to the ‘Zen Garden’ to sit and laugh around the fire pit.
In the orchard, Nicola is drawn to using soft pinks, cool lemons, lilacs, purples and whites to create a romantic feel.
Pathway leading to the fire pit.
Walking around the cottage, the soft sound of running water calls you toward the orchard where a recycled solar fountain stands below two black boy peach trees. A climbing Madame Alfred Carriere rose weaves in and out of its branches, and in the warmer months the red wine-skinned fruit appear like little blasts of vibrancy amongst the softer tones of the orchard. ‘I don’t have many rules regarding colour,’ says Nicola. ‘But in the orchard, I find myself drawn to soft pinks, cool lemons, lilacs, purples and whites to create a romantic feel.’ It is impossible in the orchard, not to see and feel that the land is calm and quiet.
Nicola’s colour palette has evolved over the seven years she has owned the cottage, a process she now calls “editing.” The potager garden is injected with contrasting hues; along the narrow grassy paths you might find deep purples alongside bright oranges, or crimson tulips neighbouring lime green natives. The ‘Zen Garden’ has softer tones with fewer plants, mostly boasting light greens and texture, with the odd splash of white. Being in New Zealand, Nicola has used a mixture of New Zealand natives and Asian style plants available for purchase in South Canterbury. A couple of ponds have been dug out of the ground to imitate the traditional stone “ponds” of a Zen Garden.
Handmade pond.
Zen garden wind chimes.
When speaking about the nooks and crannies she feels most drawn to in the garden, Nicola points out the trees. When the property was purchased, there was not a single tree in sight. Since cultivating the orchard in the potager garden, Nicola has watched the trees expand with life. ‘I love how they draw the eye up,’ she says. ‘They make the space feel bigger than it is.’ Their height and width now provide ample shade for the warmer months, creating space for respite and a sense of calm amidst the buzzing season of inflorescence.
Though feeling at home in the orchard, it took Nicola quite some time to get a grasp on the nature of trees. Many years earlier, when starting out as a budding horticulturalist, the land around the cottage had been experiential ground, a place where Nicola could plant shrubs and trees side by side to observe how they grew together. It didn’t take long for the trees to take on a spindly quality as they crowded one another. Nicola was faced with the process of having to dig out some trees and shrubs and relocate them to places with greater spacing.
The palette of plants | In this collaboration between Sage Journal and Resene, we’re excited to explore how colour transforms outdoor spaces. This curated colour palette draws inspiration from the garden, its surroundings, and the personality of the gardeners who tend it. Just as the colours inside a home reflect its occupants, the shades chosen for a garden can reveal the gardener’s unique journey, extending creativity from indoors to out. We hope this story inspires you to see your own garden as a living work of art, shaped by both painted and planted colours throughout.
As the trees shot up, birds flocked to the orchard, bringing with them their melodic birdsong and simple entertainment. With a history of fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, Nicola has been forced to pursue an unhurried life and has subsequently found herself in the garden daily, listening to the chattering of birds or looking out over the minimal Zen Garden. ‘What keeps me passionate and motivated is the constant evolution of the land,’ says Nicola. She takes her role as a steward of the earth seriously; since ceasing to use inorganic sprays, Nicola has noticed the plants appear healthier and with increased resilience.
When learning to become an artist and photographer, Nicola was constantly drawn to the colour composition of a photo or piece of art. In the garden, her canvas is everything living — roses, lupins, tulips, jonquils or daffodils, her favourite Viburnum opulus sterile (Japanese snowball), and Weigela. An artist treats their art like play, and Nicola fully endorses the use of play when approaching your own garden. She encourages novice gardeners to sketch the garden they intend to create; search the internet; follow established gardeners; search Youtube; and watch garden design shows. Whatever you do, constantly research to discover a garden style that evokes a sense of peace and play.
Pink lupins.
Nicola’s cat amongst wildflowers.
Soon, Nicola will have the cottage exterior repainted to exemplify her preferred colour palette of apricot, soft lemon, creams, and pinks. She has been collecting Resene colour charts to pick a colour that also matches the burnt orange brick surrounding the lower level of the cottage.
With the summer heat at its precipice, the cottage garden is in full bloom, and the bounty of vegetables and herbs to be picked is plentiful. Nicola’s family gathers around the BBQ to feast on a harvest of fennel, edible yellow flowers, silverbeet and broccoli. On a slow evening, they unwind before the open fire, and entertain the idea of a stroll through the fruitful orchard of pastel hues laden in crisp white roses.
A ‘Galaxy Swirl’ colour palette.
The orchard in the midst of growth.
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Resene tips:
— Choosing exterior colours to complement red brick
If you’re working with a red brick home, choosing the Resene right paint colours can help highlight its character while giving it a fresh, modern update. The key is to stick with warm, earthy tones that complement the natural warmth of the brick, rather than compete with it.
A great place to start is by painting timber elements — like window frames, shutters, doors, fences or gates — in a contrasting shade using Resene Lumbersider Low Sheen on cladding and fences, Resene Lustacryl on joinery, or for a stained finish use Resene Woodsman.
Colour suggestions:
Darker colours, such as Resene Bokara Grey, Resene Ironsand and Resene Fuscous Grey, work beautifully with brick because their brown undertones create depth without feeling too harsh.
For a softer, more traditional look, off-whites like Resene Bianca, Resene Half Thorndon Cream and Resene Rice Cake offer a warm contrast that blends seamlessly with red brick’s natural tones.
If you’re feeling adventurous and want to introduce a bit of colour, take a look at some greens. A muted green like Resene Lemon Grass or the earthy Resene Frontier can bring a natural, grounded feel.
If you prefer a bolder statement, deeper shades like Resene Indian Ink (a rich inky blue) or Resene Cod Grey (a neutral grey-blue) can add striking contrast.
For an extra polished look, consider refreshing the rough-cast base of your home or any timber surfaces with an earthy charcoal like Resene Element.
By choosing the right colours, you can give your home a fresh, updated feel — without losing any of its historic charm!
If you’d prefer to cover, rather than complement your brick, you can easily paint over it for a whole new look. Check with your local Resene ColorShop for the best paint system for your brick.
