garden

t
^^^^^ he worldwide fantasy of a tropical garden comes to Earth
in Bali, a land of emerald-green rice terraces studded with water temples
and ribboned with flowers. In fact, the country's reputation as "Island
of the Gods" has made Bali a destination for dreamers from all over the
world. Made Wijaya, an Australian landscape designer formerly known
as Michael White, is one who stayed.
Wijaya describes himself as a "convert, a true believer," who has
immersed himself in the culture of Bali and has traveled extensively
throughout Indonesia for more than 30 years. Renowned for his richly
decorated, lush gardens for many boutique hotels of Bali (The Oberoi,
the Amandari), it was a natural next step for Wijaya to turn to the design
of homes and gardens around the tropical world and for the international
community in Bali. Villa Kirana brings together his strengths as
a modern Western romantic and a local who understands the culture.
The story of his involvement with Villa Kirana began in 2000,
when an Australian couple who had lived in Asia for 25 years commissioned
Wijaya to design a second residence on a ridge overlooking
the Ayung river valley and rice fields. The couple, Patrick and Clare
Alexander, who are also parents of two boys, teenagers at the time,
were already fans of Wijaya's work. Their wish list — including a
lush water garden, a dramatic classical Balinese garden and lots of
Opposite: Looking from the warm-toned Java-stone and timber interior
of the house, the central walkway frames a single Javanese jar,
which forms the focus of an outdoor reception room with views south
to the adjacent parkland. Above, clockwise from top left: Glistening
water droplets on lotus leaves; a corner of the Japanese-inspired living
room; a stone art piece from Sumba Island, East Indonesia, part
of a children's board game similar to checkers.
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