Welcome to Uccello Lane

The Secret Garden – inside with Mary-lou!

Into the Secret Garden - Bird Tile Panel with Tap - Mary Lou Pittard

In the beginning….

A string line was set up and from that we could see that it was possible – but not as easy as we hoped. Let’s not mention “artistic differences”. The excavators came and get things ready for the concrete – also we now know where the irrigation system goes. We waited a few months then the block work was built – first the hobbit door and it was here for the first time it seemed it would work.
As you drove up Uccello Lane you would see the door and the Secret Garden wall and wonder “what is behind it”. Along the way the doors caused lots of issues – sometimes they just needed strong encouragement to fit.

So now we had the Secret Garden Walls and Doors – what was inside?

The Secret Garden settled into the Garden and is a wonderful escape from everything. We changed to Hobbit Door to some wrought iron leaves so you could peep through and see what was growing. Every season we plant something new – this year lots of bulbs for that early spring color. You can see the walls from everywhere in the garden but it is not until you open the door are all the Secrets revealed…

The Secret Garden – Settles In
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
Mary Lou Pittard – Tiles in the Secret Garden
Mr Foxx takes a walk along the Secret Garden
Outside the Secret Garden
Secret Garden Peeping
Secret Garden Peeping

We have loved the work of Mary-lou Pittard forever at Uccello Lane. Her Teapots and bowls, vases are bright and natural.

So she made us tiles for the Wisteria Colonnade and the walls of the Secret Garden – they are unique and perfect!
Capturing the love of birds and the color of the render blending into the native bush.
Mary-lou (and Chris) came out and stood in the garden to get inspiration and then carefully left specific plans on where they were to be placed by Mick Harris.
Once the tiles were on the rendered walls we all knew we were indeed in a a “special” garden!The bricks that capped the walls were old and crumbly, irregular shapes but perfect for the job. They featured around both doors and needed lots of skill to lay.

Rose Tiles by Mary Lou Pittard
Rose Tiles by Mary Lou Pittard
Mary Lou Pittard – Tiles in the Secret Garden
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Blue Bird of Happiness – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles
Secret Garden Wall tile by Mary-lou Pittard
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles – Peacock Feather
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles – Random Strawberries
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles – Correa Plant so loved by Native birds
Robin Tile by Mary-Lou Pittard in our Secret Garden
The Secret Garden – Mary-lou Pittard Tiles

There are now more tiles in the Secret Garden we think her best work yet just got installed today after a long journey…
We had the idea of a tiled panel like you see in Tuscany and Greece with a tap coming out and running water – Mary-lou had great ideas and off she went  – then COVID came, then we waited for the right weather and Vince glued them up at last.
It was always going to be spectacular but we were not prepared for how striking it was!

The blue extruded border is startling, we have finished grouting and water is coming via the tap. It is a work of art!

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