The instinctual gardener, Suzanne Beaumont, cultivates her Hawkes Bay grounds with vibrancy and swathes of colour.
A story brought to you in partnership with Resene.
When gardener Suzanne Beaumont discovered the soul-altering effect of a pretty garden, she rejected any fear that might naturally arise when working with colour. Prior to gardening, Suzanne’s style had been driven by the heart — a visceral approach inherent in most decision making.
At the Havelock North home in Hawkes Bay, Suzanne and her husband John cultivate the luscious green that wraps their entire house — a landscape dappled by year-round sun saturating their love of plants. Even after the sun has set, John can be found tending the shadowed flowers and native greenery while artificial light from the kitchen where Suzanne cooks dinner casts honey rays across the lawn.
Empty nesters now, Suzanne and John came to gardening at completely different stages of life. For John, he discovered his beloved hobby in the vegetable patches of his childhood, where he stole many hours tending to the thriving family garden. Suzanne stumbled into the vibrancy of flowers much later in her early thirties — the garden was a place to express her bright, and sometimes, ‘random’ aesthetic.
John teases Suzanne affectionately, saying that if it were up to him, their garden would be orderly, consisting solely of native plants. At one time in her life, Suzanne created a garden of only green and white, but it did not take Suzanne long to realise she needed colour to unharness her creativity.
A garden seat amidst green of a flowering cherry, citrus and agapanthus. Underplanted with Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican daisy).
Federation daisies, petunias, geraniums and pink gaura in contrasting glossy black pots.
Suzanne gives the impression of someone who has learned to step out of external expectations; her garden is full of flowers she has planted side by side for how they make her feel. “We buy plants we fall in love with, move them around the garden, and love the changes they bring with each new season,” says Suzanne. “Colour is good for the heart and soul and brings me joy. I may have been known to tell our children not to dress the grandchildren in beige, as ‘no one can have an original idea whilst dressed in beige’.”
The garden is meant to invite family and friends to relax. A gentle place that helps people to unwind, curated to enhance wellbeing. Grandchildren and friends are often sighted walking the lawn, sipping from cups of tea, and enjoying the aromatic grounds.
Glossy black pots line the entrance pathway to the property, with plants in varying shades of pinks.
Garden patio leading off the Suzanne and John’s master bedroom.
Bringing order to the garden has been a collaboration of sorts. “I adore David Austen roses and magnolias. I love roses for their form and scent,” says Suzanne, whereas John has a deep love for planting bulbs to herald in the beginning of spring — hyacinths, tulips and daffodils. If the weather is in his favour, you will find foxgloves and delphiniums sprouting somewhere around the house.
However, the garden is also a place of the unexpected — it can throw out the most surprising treasures that may have been buried for decades, or plants may surprise you by behaving completely authentically. This is all part of the adventure of gardening, surrendering the illusion of our control.
Suzanne is naturally drawn to pinks and greens, which are sometimes known as colours loved by those driven by their hearts and not their heads. As an event stylist, she has the privilege of using colour daily. Not too long ago, John arrived home to Suzanne painting an interior wall black (Resene Marshland). He grew steadily nervous. “It is only paint, not a husband,” she assured him. “It will be easy and fun to change.” Though, she needn’t have bothered. It did not take long for John to see that Suzanne’s idea to create a backdrop for when the flowers are in bloom was becoming. A feature wall, whether inside or out, is a simple and effective way to draw together a colour palette for a garden — it makes colours pop in spring and summer, and draws the eye when plants are in dormancy during the colder months.
Garden on display from the Beaumont’s moody lounge
“Colour is good for the heart and soul and brings me joy. I may have been known to tell our children not to dress the grandchildren in beige, as ‘no one can have an original idea whilst dressed in beige’.” says Suzanne.
With the help of their ‘garden fairy extraordinaire’ Catherine, the couple have been able to glean a wealth of knowledge around the various ways to approach gardening. John engages in gardening with a plan and a timeline, whereas Suzanne enters her garden expecting to follow her heart. She makes a start, and when encountering an unfamiliar issue or question, she seeks out people who have far greater knowledge than herself. “Garden people are usually so kind and generous with their time and knowledge,” says Suzanne.
The Beaumont’s garden has become a way of life for Suzanne and John. As their family grows, they love nothing more than having their adult children and grandchildren home to stay and share in their labour of love. As we move into the warmer seasons, the blooms appear; multi-coloured petunias and geraniums sprout from glazed ceramic pots, dainty aquilegia and annuals like orlaya and poppies push up through earth amongst the blooming roses, and the miniature agapanthus are in bud beneath the citrus trees. Everything is toiled over in the garden — though it is work well-loved by this husband-and-wife collaboration, ushering friends and family from across the globe to come and potter amongst the sultry east-coast hues.
Suzanne says she is naturally drawn to pinks and greens, evident her fashion, home and garden.
Evergreens, buxus hedging and Acanthus mollis, line the garden’s rear pathway.
Resene colour tip:
— Using black interior walls to make your garden stand out
Painting your interior walls black might seem like a bold choice, but it can really make your garden stand out. Dark walls create a contrast that makes the greenery outside look even more vibrant. The black walls act like a picture frame, drawing your eyes to the garden and making it feel like a living piece of art. Use a matte finish, such as Resene SpaceCote Flat, which will help to bring out the depth in your black paint.
This simple trick helps create a seamless connection between your indoor space and the outdoors, adding both depth and elegance. It’s a subtle but striking way to let your outdoor space take centre stage, even from inside your home.
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.