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Shannon Chisnall.Owner Paradise LandscapesDreaming of ParadiseLook out your window, what do you see? Imagine a gardeninviting you into its outdoor living areas creatively laid out asa dynamic extension of your home.For Paradise Landscapes’ Shannon Chisnall, that is exactlywhat he loves to do… encourage people into transformedoutdoor spaces so they can get the most out of their gardensand living areas. Shannon set up his own company inlandscaping after following his lifelong passion for nature.“Apparently I was into plants at an early age, even pickingflowers for Mum at kindy… they were daisies from the lawn.At school we always had the option of gardening at calf cluband I usually received ribbons for my efforts. It all started fromthere, knowing how to select healthy plants and grow themwell. From that I have always had a love or a flair for makingnatural surroundings look good and creating outdoor livingareas.”Shannon grew up halfway between Pukekohe and Tuakau ona farm that backed onto the Waikato river. “I loved the farm,the trees and bush… Even now, I love this about where I live inBombay, being out in the country.”Once Shannon reached high school, he revelled in thehorticulture course offered, following this through with amore technical version at Manukau Polytechnic. His next stepincluded completing a landscape design course. From there heworked for Rainbow Park Nursery for three years and nativeplant nursery Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (YTT) for a year.Over the next three years, Shannon put his theoretical andpractical knowledge to the test working for several well-knownlandscape contractors. “I got a good foundation out of that,learning what’s pleasing to the eye, what looks good together,garden layouts and how to place rocks using a Hiab – some arefour - five tonnes each.”Eventually, it made sense for Shannon to run his owncompany. “I was motivated to work for myself. Working forothers you always see things done not quite how you want.Sometimes I like to spend extra time getting things just right.I think a garden should look like it’s always been there and thehouse has been built amongst it. It should look like the settingwas there first, not the other way around.“I came up with the idea for Paradise Landscapes afterthinking along the lines of tropical islands and that people arealways wanting to go away for a nice holiday. Why not createa bit of paradise in your own back yard? I went to Hawaii - itwas great to look at the different types of plants, especially as alot of these can be grown in New Zealand. I wanted to create asimilar environment in people’s outside spaces, but using NewZealand influences such as tropical looking New Zealand plants:Cordyline, Tree Ferns, Puka, Pohutukawa, particularly miniatureones. Then natural rocks and water could be added if required.I thought it would be good to combine plant and landscapingknowledge to create these effects.”For Shannon, seeing his vision for landscaping come tofruition takes time and hard work. “There is a lot of labourinvolved… it takes time, materials and planning to achieve anoptimum result. One is always taking into account what typesof plants and landscaping will work with the individual client’shouse style. Once you have considered this, you are able to alignit with the client’s needs and the type of landscaping they prefer.Someone might like roses, box hedging and a more formalgarden and you have to cater for that. My own preference is amixture of subtropical and natives using foliage colour morethan flowers. Maybe mixing it with the odd splash of colour likebright red bromeliads, verayas (tropical rhododendrons) and thewine coloured ajuga ground cover.For Shannon, the aesthetic appeal of a newly finishedlandscape is the reward. “I like making a huge change to aproperty. Homes look so much nicer with a better garden and Igain a real sense of satisfaction from this. I enjoy seeing a hugetransformation and the pleased looks of the owners when theycome home. The benefit of a well designed garden is that it addsvalue to the property and improves the quality of our lives.”10Support your local business www.elocal.co.nz