Defne Tuncay
Founder, landscape architect
Favourite plantOlea europaea
Works on Mediterranean gardens and low-water palettes. Every plan starts with a walk.
Landscape architecture · Istanbul and the Aegean
Gardens beautiful again every season.
We design, build and care for gardens with native, low-water plants that age well for years. First, let’s walk your garden together.
One garden, two seasons Tempus fugit
The shade courtyard in Beykoz, in April and October. Drag the line: a good garden is beautiful all year, not in one season.
Where we touched the soil Genius loci
The tags under each card are the first three plants of that garden’s palette.
Villa garden · Bodrum, Muğla · 3,400 m²Bodrum Olive Grove Villa GardenOlea europaeaLavandula angustifoliaCupressus sempervirens
Roof and terrace · Kandilli, İstanbul · 420 m²Kandilli Terrace GardenLavandula angustifoliaSedum spectabilePennisetum alopecuroides
Courtyard · Nişantaşı, İstanbul · 160 m²Nişantaşı Courtyard GardenAcer palmatumPinus mugoOphiopogon japonicus
Corporate · Levent, İstanbul · 6,800 m²Levent Office CampusPlatanus orientalisCarpinus betulusMiscanthus sinensisFrom plan to care Ab ovo
Design, construction and care by one team; the hand that draws is the hand that plants.
3–6 weeksLandscape designFrom site survey to construction drawings: plan, planting palette, materials and irrigation.
2–10 weeksLandscape constructionFrom soil preparation and stone paving to planting and lawn.
1–3 daysMature tree and olive plantingSelecting, moving and crane-planting old olives and large trees.
3–7 daysSmart irrigationZoned drip and sprinkler systems with moisture sensors and weather-based control.
2–5 weeksRoof and terrace gardensLightweight soil matched to load limits, waterproofing and wind-tolerant planting.
YearlySeasonal garden careA yearly care calendar: pruning, feeding, pest control, lawn and irrigation tuning.
A garden is built layer by layer Stratum
From paper to soil, stone to water, and finally the tree. Scroll sideways.
Plan
Scaled plan, planting palette and materials. Every decision is made here.
Soil
Loosening, compost and drainage. The unseen layer that decides everything.
Stone
Paths, walls and steps; local stone, laid by hand.
Water
Drip zones by plant group; just enough water.
Tree
The last layer: old olives and trees craned into place.
Garden calendar Calendarium hortense
What to do in the garden each month? Choose a month for its jobs and the plants in our library that flower then.
January
- Winter pruning of fruit trees
- Check irrigation is drained
- Shake snow off shrubs
In flower this month
February
- Prune roses and shrubs
- Order new plants
- Soil test
In flower this month
March
- Feed
- Aerate the lawn
- Start and test irrigation
In flower this month
April
- Plant summer flowers
- Weed control
- Renew mulch
In flower this month
May
- Switch irrigation to summer
- Trim hedges
- Watch for pests
In flower this month
June
- Water early morning
- Harvest lavender
- Mow more often
In flower this month
July
- Check drip lines
- Shade in heatwaves
- Care for pond plants
In flower this month
August
- Deep watering against drought
- Plan autumn planting
- Collect seed
In flower this month
September
- Renew and seed lawns
- Order bulbs
- Reduce irrigation
In flower this month
October
- Plant trees and shrubs
- Plant tulips and hyacinths
- Compost the leaves
In flower this month
November
- End of planting season
- Protect tender plants
- Winterise irrigation
In flower this month
December
- Review the garden plan
- Tool care
- Begin winter pruning
In flower this month
Plant library
The plants we use most: sun, water, flowering month and height. Natives are marked.
All plantsOlea europaea
Olive
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low water
- Flowers
- Foliage / evergreen
- Height
- 4–8 m
The backbone of a Mediterranean garden; old trees can be craned in.
Native to Türkiye
Platanus orientalis
Oriental plane
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Medium water
- Flowers
- Foliage / evergreen
- Height
- 20–30 m
Wide shade; a square and campus tree.
Native to Türkiye
Acer palmatum
Japanese maple
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Medium water
- Flowers
- Foliage / evergreen
- Height
- 3–6 m
Red autumn leaves; a courtyard focal point.
Cupressus sempervirens
Italian cypress
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low water
- Flowers
- Foliage / evergreen
- Height
- 10–20 m
Narrow upright form; windbreak and axis.
Native to Türkiye
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low water
- Flowers
- June–July
- Height
- 0,4–0,6 m
For bees; almost no summer water.
Hands in the soil
Landscape architects and gardeners in one team; each with a favourite plant.
Murat Ilgaz
Site lead, gardener
Favourite plantHydrangea quercifolia
25 years in the soil; leads the crews on site.
Ece Saraç
Landscape architect, irrigation
Favourite plantStipa tenuissima
Irrigation zones and roof gardens; loads and water on her desk.
From garden owners
Not a single olive was cut. In our second summer the garden barely needed water and the bees found the lavender.
Everyone is outside at lunch now. The rain gardens worked from the first downpour.
Four years of care now. A photo note after every visit; I follow the garden’s year through them.
Hic et nunc
Let’s walk your garden together
On a site visit we measure, look at soil and sun and talk through first ideas on the spot. Free within Istanbul.