A lush garden built around promoting wellness and respite | Garden Design | Gardening Australia

Millie visits the home garden of former guest presenter, nurse, garden designer, and horticultural therapist Steven Wells. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
Steven embraces gardening and horticulture in his work, running programs to support patients with acquired brain injury in a specially created sensory garden. But the benefits of gardening are also part of his own self-care and have been considered in the design of his home garden.
The garden is divided into a series of unique and dynamic areas planned and planted for different uses. There are areas for respite and quiet contemplation, areas for play and multiple spaces to entertain and be social. And every possible space, is planted. While Steven grows a huge range of plants, certain species and tones are repeated, to create a sense of visual unity.
The entrance garden has recently been reconfigured, with a renovation to the house creating large windows to look out. Steven has kept the planting here to lush and layered evergreens, to ensure there is always green in view. Steven says, “whether it's windy, whether it’s hot, whether it’s raining, I can look out and see this lush verdant courtyard”.
In the rear of the garden, Steven designed a secluded weather-proof day bed, which offers privacy and is large enough for him to lay down. In It is framed in a bright red timber and has been mimicked by gardeners all over the world! But for Steven, the impact is more than visual. “We all work busy lives; I work in health care.
That has its challenges, and even more so over the last few years”. Steven uses the analogy of emptying the bucket when you’re caring for others. “You can’t just keep emptying the bucket. At some point you need to stop and think, how do I fill the bucket. And that’s different for different people. Some people like to get out and about, and others like to retreat into their garden”.
Steven’s garden is playful and beautiful, it is full of interesting plants and clever design ideas. But the most striking thing about Steven’s garden is the incredible role it plays in his life. “For me, it’s part of who I am. I need to be connected to, or in my garden daily”.
Featured Plants:
MAIDENHAIR VINE  - Muehlenbeckia complexa 
FAN ALOE - Kumara plicatilis 
CHINESE LANTERN  - Abutilon cv. 
PLUMBAGO - Plumbago auriculata  
(Check before planting: this may be an environmental weed in your area) 
CLUMPING BAMBOO - Bambusa textilis ‘Gracilis’ 
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[@jenw1936]

Where would we be without our gardens. 🌱🌧🌏❤️🙏🏻

[@TheGirlfriendrauhl]

The Muehlenbeckia walls are the most incredible use of the plant I have ever seen! What an awesome use of space and diverse plants

[@judithgrant9315]

WOW❤ THANK YOU 🕊 This is a keeper . Im passing this on to people that need their buckets replenished. God Bless You 🙏

[@sumeraandzac424]

Amazing and so inspiring! Love seeing what other gardeners do especially in small spaces.

[@babyboywahlid5479]

Wow...

[@TeamArVes]

The Design was very Relaxing. I want to do this in my Garden

[@Aquinilia]

Such a beautiful dream garden 🌿🌳🌱🌵 i love the red wall that is so stunning and also the outdoor bathup oh my 😍🛀

[@janetsutherland7649]

Oh to have a bath in such a private and relaxing space. I love those screens too. Great ideas.

[@ausblue1]

wow..id love a garden like that!!!!!! is brilliant

[@ZenPepperClub]

No one considered how much maintenance this garden will take, I like very low maintenance gardens

[@craigmetcalfe1749]

First thing I noticed in this video was how Steven was bare foot. I have seen many gardeners do this and I haven't dared, is Steven et al onto something? Is our connection to the earth as simple as this? Ever since growing fruit and vegetables in my own garden, I have never felt so healthy. I am no super model but I know when my body is telling me that I am eating healthy and I am sleeping the sleep of an honest gardener. Thank you Millie and Stephen!

[@lollypop2413]

Its lovely but obviously hes not got snakes

[@judithgrant9315]

He he sorry but they'd be so relaxed, says me from NZ with no snakes 🕊

[@KrishnaKumar-xw5wu]

Oh please 🙄 Get off your backside and plant a garden !!! Stop making excuses !!! There are snakes in Australia but they don’t look for you and bite you 🙄

[@johnjeffry780]

Excellent garden 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@muhammadazmi2984]

Nokharomm botak ni bogel last scene

[@irismoles9369]

What a great garden

[@shaikhshifa98652]

Good job 👍🏻

[@New-Hat-Gardening]

Great video! Very inspirational for my own content ☺️

[@cozyrosemary]

Great!! Your job is so amazing 😍

[@Aa-gc9gl]

Absolutely lovely... He's genius...

[@jenniferfinch8929]

I love it!❤❤❤❤❤

[@JT-xt8bh]

I feel so much better in my head by just watching this 🌱🪴♥️♥️