Landscape designer Xanthe White branches out

Xanthe White. Picture / Carolyn Robertson

Auckland landscape designer Xanthe White gets as much joy from the people she meets through her work as she does from the gardens themselves.

"I love that part of the job, because I respond to the enthusiasm of my clients," she says.

This year she was invited to develop the feature garden at this week's Ellerslie Flower Show. With the theme The Kiwi Garden, White's creation looks at garden styles and fashion throughout New Zealand's history.

"It is a celebration of our diversity, innovation and natural environment," says White, who appeared on the TV3 show Groundforce from 1998 to 2001, and last year presented TV1's Ultimate Garden.

She established her own landscaping company soon after completing a diploma in landscape design at Unitec in 1997.

In 2003 the 29-year-old won a silver medal at the Ellerslie Flower Show, then secured a major commission to design 38 gardens in Japan.

"This experience of a culture that is the opposite of our own in so many ways gave me a stronger sense and understanding of my identity as a New Zealander than I had ever had before.

"Travelling overseas made me realise what creative gardeners New Zealanders are, and how free we are to play with things," White says.

"You drive down a road here and everyone's doing something different. And that's a great thing, because in a way gardens are an extension of ourselves. Every garden should reflect the personality of the people who are in it."

White strongly believes in the idea that gardening should be about creativity and fun.

That was evident in the first year she entered Ellerslie, when her medal-winning garden included paua shell inlays and baked-bean tins, plus balls made of No 8 wire rolling across a lawn.

Last year she won supreme awards for design and lighting design at the show, as well as gold and silver medals, a Landscape Industries Association award for professional excellence, a commendation for best in show, and was selected for the People's Choice award.

Next year White will represent New Zealand at the Chelsea Flower Show.

10 Favourite things

1. The west coast for inspiration and escape

This is my favourite part of Auckland and one of the reasons I love living here. I find the coast so neutralising, whether in a wild storm or on a hot day when the heat shimmers off the black sand. It is like wiping the slate clean and anything, whether it is a design solution or the stress of life, seems to resolve itself with crystal clarity.

2. Music

Yo la Tengo or Cassette to escape, Townes Van Zandt or Dylan for the road, or something upbeat like The Presets or The Fanatics to get me started. There is a song for every situation, whether it is to help me out of bed in the morning for another 12-hour day or to put me to sleep at the end of the day. I couldn't do what I do without it.

3. Sweet peas

However minimalist your tastes are there are not many of us who won't melt when presented with a tower of fragrance, colour and memories. The most wonderful thing being that anyone can easily grow them from seed.

4. Kiwiana

To me, Kiwiana is things such as gumboots and corrugated iron that evoke in us warm feelings about ourselves as New Zealanders without us needing to feel stylish, successful or well-read.

5. Gardens you can eat

If you have to work hard all day in a garden you should be able to pluck your own fruit and have a seasonally revolving supply of vegetables. There are also health advantages to eating with the seasons of your garden and knowing exactly where your food has come from.

6. Colour

I can't resist the electric blue of an artichoke flower or a drift of hot red salvias. I love the seasonal change colour brings to a garden. Gardens should be dynamic, moving and alive.

7. Nikau

This native is among my ever-changing list of favourites but never seems to slip from my top five. They remind me of winding down the hill to Karekare through cool bush, before throwing off my shoes and washing the city off my feet.

8. Artwork for the garden

Every garden needs a touch of original artwork, either partially hidden awaiting discovery or taking pride of place. For those lacking in the art department, investing in an artwork can turn an ordinary garden into a special place. One of my personal favourites is East Cape sculptor Baye Riddell's Tangatawhenua, a powerful and evocative piece symbolising people of the land, made from clay and moulded from the land itself.

9. Strong irregular geometry

I like gardens that refuse to follow traditional lines and break away from classic boundaries. I think spaces should respond to people and the natural environment, not surveyors.

10. Rock

Whether it be a natural waterfall or a finely crafted stone wall, no material beats natural stones in an outdoor setting. The range of colours and forms are endless and there are not many products out there that have already had a test-run for maybe millions of years.