Garden beautifying work continues at Frances Hodgkins village with some stunning landscaping, planned spaces and flower beds already completed.
The outdoor redesign is part of a larger building alteration and grounds project at the Dunedin village rest home that has been ongoing for some months.
Other work includes an extension to the kitchen and dining room.
Village Manager Joy Notman says the outside work had proceeded well to plan with residents now able to enjoy the areas with spectacular views over Dunedin, particularly the southern suburbs, and Otago Harbour.
The landscaping work includes grassy strips, pergolas, grey garden tiles, a water feature and garden beds highlighted by small trees. The views to St Clair, St Kilda, Kew, Forbury, South Dunedin and beyond are truly stunning.
Substantial retaining walls are part of the work, with native shrubs and plants embedded on some of the banks at the side and back of the main village complex.
Joy said the beautiful lawn and tiled area replaced what had largely been a spongy grassed area surrounded by a path. “We’ll now be able to walk around here a lot better. There’ll be seating included in the pergolas as well,” she said.
“It’s somewhere for them to sit and it’s such a lovely outlook.”
Residents would notice the flow effect from the inside lounge to the outside garden, protected by a high quality rail. “It gives them another option of somewhere to walk. We’re very lucky with the view.”
Gardeners at Frances Hodgkins said the residents would be rewarded for their outdoor ventures with changes of colour during the seasons. For example, there were marigolds and a pohutukawa to flower at Christmas.