GARDEN REVISIT
I had an email from this customer saying how much she has enjoyed the garden this spring, so I popped round today with my camera. It's looking great! The shrubs on the fence still have some growing to do, but all the perennials are knitting together nicely, provided good ground cover. |
| Geranium Macrorhyzum on the left hand corner now covering the ground beneath the new Beech hedge |
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| The golden Acer to the left, in time will stand above the perennials, but for now adds a lovely golden splash amongst the green foliage |
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| The view from the front door. The low growing golden Euonymous shrub will soon spread to fill in the space around it. |
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| Pretty blue Geranium Phaeum "Walkure" in flower. Best Geranium for shadier borders |
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| Euphorbia Martinii now over, and the dark accents of Heuchera Obsidan now the stars. Hydrangea Annabelle will follow in just a couple of few weeks. |
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| The customer parks |
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| The customer normally parks on the blocks, but when expecting company parks over the circle where the low plants don't mind getting shaded occasionally without get in the way of the wheels |
JUST AFTER PLANTING.....
(before photos at the end)This lovely old property had parking for only one car, and the established hedges were rather too established, letting no light into the front lawn.
THE BRIEF
- Additional visitor parking space
- Remove existing hedge
- Design a space which gives Kerb Appeal
- An interesting outlook from the front Bay window
To allow for the much needed extra parking space, the hedge and all lawn were removed, and replaced with hardcore suitable for a vehicle. This was a combination of concrete blocks and gravel, with a block pathway leading to the front door. A paved pathway in a similar pale grey tone, leads through planting to give access to the waterbutt to the side of the window. The owner will normally park in the gravel drive, allowing the garden to be viewed as a garden, rather than a parking space, but for occasional use, much of the new garden doubles up as a parking area, with low planting in the gravel circle.
A new wall was required to the front, and a Beech Hedge planted to give screening from the street. The new hedge can be pruned to maintain the required height and width, so as not to dominate the space, allowing light through.
A little morning sun, but then mostly in shade closer to the house, so the plant list includes many plants for shade or semi shade.
For structure and Evergreen interest
Beech Hedge, Box hedge, Euonymus, Cotoneaster Cornubia, Daphne Odora, Sarcoccoca, Liriope Muscari, Luzula Nivea Aureomarginata, Euphorbia Martinii
Climbers on fence
Hydrangea Petiolaris, Clematis Prince George, Honeysuckle
Deciduous Shrubs for bulk
Hydrangea Annabelle, Fuscia, Acer Jordan
Perennials for seasonal changes
Geranium Phaem, Aster Divaricatus, Alchemilla Mollis, Tricyrtis formosa, Ferns, Geranium macrorhyzum, Liriope Muscari, Heuchera Obsidan, Astrantia
BEFORE
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| Before |
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| Before |
