Sitting at the patio of Jeanne and Yoon-Kay Khong's house, you could forget for a moment that a big, busy road is just a few feet away. Surrounded by lush greenery, there's a crisp freshness in the air from the many plants and trees. All is quiet, save for a balmy breeze that blows right through the patio and a melodic orchestra of twittering birds in the background.

"Our main concern when we first bought the house was that it was so near the main road," says Yoon-Kay who moved in about seven months ago with his family. Enlisting the help of his brother-in-law Jimmy Seah and architect Chow Lai Fun, both from OneDesign, plans were made to grow a garden to "shield out traffic sounds."

By taking advantage of the huge driveway, Jimmy was able to expand the garden area further out and around, so that the house appears to be surrounded by an exuberant “jungle-like” garden. "I wanted a wild growing look, rather than a predictable one," explains Jimmy, on planting 100 species of rambling green plants. The garden is an absorbing mix of shades and shapes, even without many flowering plants. This look of earthy, unrestrained randomness in the landscape perfectly suits the Khong family, as it "makes it feel like home," says Jeanne.