The Eyrie was built in 1908 and was one of the first cottages in Sydney’s suburb of Bungan Beach. The iconic heirloom property was positioned on a 1,663sqm block with expansive views across Pittwater and the coast.
Originally crafted from locally sourced sandstone, the home has undergone significant architectural changes over its lifetime. In late 2019, we were lucky enough to be called upon to work with the Northern Beaches family and update areas of soft and hard-scaping surrounding the entrance of this stunning property.
Joanne Green Landscape & Interior designed and constructed a new concrete driveway; installed a custom timber screen; and new front entrance path; some garden lighting; as well as providing some horticultural advice on new tree selection.
Driveway
The existing bitumen driveway was crumbling and worn and didn’t do justice to the recently renovated historic coastal home.
Reinforced concrete was chosen for the new driveway for its cost-effectiveness and durability. The new owners have a large family and love to entertain and with parking in the area at a premium, the drive would accommodate guest parking of up to four cars.
Once the concrete was poured and given enough time to cure, several coats of a cement epoxy (charcoal colour) was applied to the surface followed by three coats of sealer. We included a 10mm border line around the perimeter of the drive to provide extra detail.
The result is stunning and we could not be happier.
Standard practice for concrete of this expanse is to ensure sufficient control and expansion joints are created to avoid cracking.
Entrance Path
The original entrance path was made from stepping stones of different sizes with irregular spacing set within the turf, which created a trip hazard for the home owners. A new solid pathway of Endicott Crazy Paving (a natural split stone) from Eco Outdoor, laid over reinforced concrete, was chosen in order to match some existing paved sections on the property and complement the home.
Left: Setting the foundations for the entrance path; Right: Hand laid Endicott Crazy Paving from Eco Outdoor.
Spotted Gum Timber Screen
A custom-made screen crafted from spotted gum was designed and installed to add privacy to the side of the house, but to also hide the very functional area which housed the rubbish bins.
Using the spotted gum in vertical battens, added a modern touch and warmth against the black and white exterior of the home.
Timber battens were attached individually.
Planting
Two existing immature Port Jackson Fig trees were removed as they were positioned too close to the home (within one metre) and were replaced with two Coastal Banksia trees. These trees were selected for their ability to withstand the local conditions where they’re under constant exposure to salt-laden winds from almost every direction, as well as being locally native. Also, while they’ll still be able to obtain decent size and scale (depending on conditions), there’s much less chance of them disrupting any infrastructure as Fig Trees tend to do.
The white flowering hydrangeas were existing and retained to frame the entrance path. Now we are just waiting for these to be in full bloom!
Looking at upgrading your entrance? Click here to get in touch with our team to find out how you can get started.