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Last Saturday Good Manors celebrated its 25th anniversary in style. The Good Manors team transformed the Cellblock Theatre at The National Art School in Darlinghurst into a striking green oasis.
Guests approached the gathering through a tree lined entrance (courtesy of Alpine Nurseries)where they were welcomed into the courtyard with log burning fires, the smell of Gluhwein and sounds of Spanish guitar music. A feeling of coziness was instantly present. Among the 220 guests were friends, current and former employees, clients, colleagues, suppliers and other valued partners.
When all of the guests had arrived, Master of Ceremonies Robbie McGregor (actor and voice over artist for SBS) announced the entrance to the Cellblock. Here party-goers were welcomed by an impressive ‘upside-down’ garden of wattle foliage hanging from the soaring ceilings of the venue. Altered terracotta pots made tables and generous strips turf on either side of the timber-palette seating completed the setting.
Robbie McGregor put Good Manors founders in the spotlight – testing skills refined over their 25 years with Ron Berkelmans asked to plant a buxus and Raoul van de Laak required to sell the crowd a Good Manors pool and garden on the spot. The party kicked on with DJ John Ferris keeping the crowd dancing through to the early hours.
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Good Manors is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. The company was established by two Dutchies fresh off the boat – Raoul van de Laak and David Buurma, both seeking a new adventure in Australia.
With a few years of experience in landscaping on their home turf and abroad, and an idea to challenge the existing Australian garden aesthetic – they started work at Sherringhams Nursery, owned by entrepreneur Laurie McDonald. Many gardens of the time included an isolated area bounded by a paling fence, with an expanse of lawn, a clothesline and a large brick BBQ as its centrepiece . Raoul and David saw an opportunity to change the typical Australian backyard into an entertainment area that could function as an extension of people’s homes and make the most of the Sydney weather they had crossed the globe for.
McDonald recognised this opportunity and took both Raoul and David on by sponsorship and allowed them to set up a new department under his guide called ‘Good Manors’. Good Manors aimed to set a new standard for residential gardens by connecting the inside with the outside. Landscaping to them was about detailed design applying tried and true European techniques. They brought elements of the house into the garden, opened up the back of the house and built pergolas to create open and inviting gardens. With these opportunities and innovative designs they quickly realised the need for the right person to build these projects. This is where fellow Dutchman Ron Berkelmans then joined the team.
Within two years Good Manors was truly established and when Sherringhams later closed their doors, Good Manors continued to thrive under the guide of the three Dutchies. The business won several awards in its first couple of years and this recognition accelerated Good Manors’ further growth. Over a period of ten years the projects expanded from landscape design and maintenance to the renovation of pools and later on, full design and in-house construction of pools. The maintenance department has grown within the company and serves nearly 400 gardens in Greater Sydney. Good Manors has always been directed by quality, craftsmanship and service.
Twenty five years on, Good Manors has 40 employees, many have been with the company for most of the 25 years, resulting in an enormous amount of skill and expertise. Celebrating our 25th Anniversary is as much about the great people that have worked with the company over the years as it is about Good Manors’ founders. It is the collective vision and passion of the team that have made Good Manors what it is today.
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2011 has been another year of success, change and fulfillment for the GOOD MANORS Team. Our Design and Construction teams have completed over 50 new gardens along with 10 new pools and pool renovations. To ensure that these new gardens reach their full potential, the GOOD MANORS Maintenance division has seen some growth with the addition of a fifth team to help keep our 300+ gardens looking the best they can.
As we prepare for days of feasting, family, rest and sunshine (here’s hoping), we thank you for your support in 2011 and look forward to working with you again in 2012. Along with some exciting new pools and gardens scheduled for construction, 2012 will see GOOD MANORS continue to celebrate our 25th anniversary. From all at GOOD MANORS, we wish you a very happy festive season. Merry Christmas from all the team!
GOOD MANORS will be closed from 23rd December 2011 to 3rd January 2012.
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Right in time for the summer weather we hope for; Good Manors recently completed this North Shore Pool, Spa, Cabana and Garden. The entire project from design through all aspects of construction were completed by the skilled team at Good Manors. Below is a condensed visual summary of the pool and garden transformation where an impractical pool was filled and relocated with the addition of a large spa. The purpose of this, to open visual and physical access to the garden from the home and new outdoor entertaining areas. We look forward to seeing the garden grow and become established in the years ahead!
Before:
Construction:
After:
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Earlier this month we worked with Brigid Arnott again to photograph this Randwick garden designed, installed and maintained by Good Manors twelve months ago . The garden is a credit to its owners who have taken great care and interest in the garden. The importance of careful soil preparation and plant selection by the Good Manors team is also evident through the impressive growth and establishment of the garden in such a short time. A big thank you to Architectural and Antique Elements for the use of their curved antique garden seat and vintage cushions to complete the garden for this shoot.
We look forward to sharing more of our work later in the year as we continue to photograph more Good Manors pools and gardens this summer.
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The Swimming Pool and Spa Association of NSW (SPASA) have just launched their new website and member’s directory. SPASA represnts leading pool builders and associated trades who are respected in the industry for setting high standards of workmanship and skill. As award-winning pool builders, pool designers and expert pool renovators – the team at Good Manors are proud of our association with SPASA. Check Good Manors’ listing here
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For some spring motivation, Eco Outdoor have been hosting a series of ‘ask an expert’ events on the first Saturday of each month this spring. On November 5 Good Manors Landscape Architect – Hugh Burnett will be at Eco Outdoor’s Brookvale showroom to advise on how best to plan your pool and garden and any other information to help get your garden in order. More information on the Eco Outdoor event here.
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We have just added a few new gardens to our portfolio photographed by Brigid Arnott in the late summer. We look forward to sharing more of our work later in the year after we photograph some pools and gardens this spring. Visit our portfolio to see more of Good Manors’ new and updated pools and gardens.
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If the impressive blooms of Sydney’s Magnolias are anything to go by, it is time to start thinking about spring in your garden. This time of year sees the sap beginning to rise in the trees and our horticulturalists energized by the season ahead. There is a noticeable difference in the length of daylight and a feeling of anticipation as a new season approaches in our gardens.
This is your last chance to complete the winter work of planting, pruning and spraying. It is time to prune your overgrown hedges and shrubs before the growing season starts. Check and repair your irrigation system to give your garden its best chance. It is also important to give your garden a dressing of an organic-based fertiliser, so that the nutrients it contains will be available to plants just when they need it, as they start to send out new growth.
Organic fertilisers, such as blood and bone, composted manure, liquid fish or seaweed and chicken manure deserve a few words. Many synthetic fertilisers available today act as a quick fix to get plants off to a good start. But with these fertilisers, plants often produce soft, sappy growth which is much more susceptible to attack from pests and diseases. The nutrients are used quickly and have to be applied more often; they also do little to improve the soil. Unlike these synthetic fertilisers, organic fertilisers – especially those based on seaweed have soil conditioning properties. With organic fertilisers, the nutrients are released slowly and are available to plants over a longer period. Instead of rapid, unhealthy growth, the plants grow gradually, with strength and lasting vigour.
Next on the list is soil improvement… Over the past year we have improved the vigour of root bound trees, hedges and shrubs in confined planter beds and in pots. We do this using a specific technique incorporating a clay based soil improver and organic based fertiliser into the existing (often water repellent and root-bound) soils. This creates water reservoirs allowing plants to access water and nutrients freely.
For a seasonal show – it is time to plan your container planting schemes. Books and magazines are always a good source of inspiration. Pick a colour palette or style this year and ask how your Good Manors horticulturalist can help?
When applying pesticides a tree or shrub can sometimes be too large for spraying against diseases. We have the solution: Injection, a method that is effective for most plants. By injecting the tree with a pesticide, the sap carries the ‘medicine’ to all branches of the plant killing pests and unwanted insects. This method can only be used when the plant isn’t flowering, avoiding damage to birds and bees.
If in years past you have noticed a sudden drop of foliage from your Murraya – now is the time to treat. This leaf-drop is often caused by a fungus, which stresses the plants. This fungus becomes active when the soil starts warming up. August is a good time of year to make sure any excess dead leaves are removed from under the hedges and drench the soil around Murraya with a fungicide. This will help prevent disappointment in summer. Don’t hesitate to ask our horticulturist for a treatment during their next visit.
Now is the time to prune your Roses and late-summer flowering shrubs – we have sharpened our secateurs and we are ready to go. August is also the last month for planting bare rooted roses, deciduous fruiting plants, deciduous flowering trees, shrubs and vines.
We look forward to helping you with your garden in the warmer months ahead!
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This Good Manors pool renovation is featured on homelife.com.au in a story that highlights the importance of well designed outdoor space in the way we entertain today. Homelife is the online home for a couple of Australia’s leading lifestyle magazines Inside Out and Country Style - company we are pleased to keep!
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