Child Minder's Garden

Who would have thought that a child minder would have a beautifully tended garden? I am full of admiration for this couple who recently had their garden landscaped, then contacted me for advice about a planting scheme.

I first saw the garden with the design already in place, and they have certainly made the most of their garden space, whilst still allowing plenty of lawn for the children to play. Timber sleepers are used around all of the planting beds to denote  the "no go" areas for the children. So far, so good!

Had I designed this garden, I would have included a brick edge at lawn level in front of the sleepers, to make it much easier to mow the lawn. A vertical edge next to lawn is always problematic. The customer may resolve this in time.

The hot sunny bed includes Cirsium, Iris, Geranium Ann Folkard, Stachys, Sage, and Salvia

Blue Nepeta and pink spires of Salvia

Allium Christophii

Iris Silver Edge

Scented Trachelospernum Jasminoide underplanted with Artemisa Powys Castle

The pretty water feature with Nepeta in flower will be joined by Sedum, Geranium Sanguiseum,
Gypsophylla and Echinaceas.

In a shadier bed, Clematis Montana will climb the pergola,
with Actea Pink Spike adding beautiful palmate dark foliage, next to Astrantia Claret. They all look great again
the silver grey furniture.

plenty of lawn for the visiting children to play

In the shady bed, an existing Rhododendron is joined by Honeysuckle, Aquilega, Alchemilla Mollis
Geranium Rozanne, and later Persicaria Rosea and Anemone Japaonica. For everygreen bulk
Viburnum Davidii and Euonymous are also included.