Adding some impact to a very tidy, but dull garden

I do see some very untidy gardens when visiting clients, but on this occasion, the existing garden was beautifully managed..... but very dull. After spring shrubs, almost no colour at all to look forward to. Also, the only patio area was tucked in between the conservatory and side wall offering no other place to sit in the garden and enjoy the evening sun. The garden had quite a slope, so the design had to allow for this, and therefore step down to a new patio area, which at the same time has been lifted towards the back, with plenty of hardcore and retaining walls.

The garden of the neighbouring property to the rear, is much  higher, infact the owners can look straight over at head height. Important to the brief therefore was to provide privacy. A timber raised bed of 30" in  height now has Photinia Red Robin planted as hedging, and in to time, will provide an evergreen screen between the properties. The aim is to allow the hedge to grow to around 1 metre or so above fence level, proving privacy to both parties, which can be easily managed by standing in the raised bed.

More interesting sun loving perennials which will enjoy the free draining conditions, are also planted in the raised bed, and will soon tumble over the front edges to soften the look.  Much of the rest of the garden is wet sticky clay, so plants such as Hemerocallis, Carex Elata Aurea, Iris Siberica, Lythrum, Euphorobia Palustus, Hydrangea and Cornus together with a variety of Geraniums were all chosen to suit the conditions.

It will look very different by next spring, when the young plants emerge 3 x bigger than  planted, and by year 2 will be packed full. I look forward to a revisit in the knowledge that it will be well cared for by the owners.

The new patio offering  a place for the evening sun, back by a raised bed

The  new second patio area will soon be surrounded by colourful perennials and grasses backlit by evening sun,
whilst offering a view back to the house

Beautifully scented Viburnum Dawn, will grow to a height of around 2.5mtrs
over around 10 years proving almost tree like structure 

The bed outside the kitchen window sees almost no sun, but Helleborus Nigra, Lamiums and
Liriope Muscari will be very happy in those conditions, together with scented evergreen Sarcoccoca Confusa

The old patio replaced with new Indian Sandstone, leading into a path
around the conservatory and to the side of the house. The ideal place for a shady seat,
and a further seating area in sun now at the far end of the garden.

Panoramic view

BEFORE. The old patio led only to lawn. The lawn continued all around
the conservatory and up to the fences.

BEFORE. The view from the patio was tidy but rather dull. 

Winkfield Arboretum

Opening time was 10am. We arrived at 10.01am and the main car park was already full! Mid week would have been ideal, but the weather has been dull, dull, dull so it needed a little bit of brightness to bring out the foliage colours..... which is why it was packed today.

Once inside the gardens however, for the first half hour at least the crowds dispersed but  by the time we left at 12.00 the queue to get in was  hundreds more people, and a long, long queue of even more outside on the main road.  The colour infact was not that great on the whole, and another week or two will be a better time. Many of the Acers however were spectacular, and will probably have lost their leaves by the time the native deciduous trees are at their peak.

Dragging an old garden into the 21st century.

This garden was taken over after the death of it's long term resident.  After modernising the interior, the new owner contacted me to re-design the garden space.

Here is how it is looking now. The owner said "WOW".  Great result, and of course the planting will knit together over the next couple of years. I worked with many of the existing shrubs, but the garden was very static with very few perennials. Keeping the large shrubs offers maturity, and the perennials will soon catch up to give good ground cover, but interest for many months each year.

From the large patio area, steps lead up to the lawn

A ramp allows the lawn mower to be moved from back to front garden

Keeping many of the existing large shrubs, perennial inter planting will ensure plenty of interest
throughout the seasons. Lawns need to be a good strong, simple shape to be successful...... no wiggles!

A new border in a sunny spot brings planting to be enjoyed closer to the  house, and
by next spring will add see through height to the garden.

Dark red Heuchera Obsidan will echo the dark foliage of Physocarpus Diablo
and also Sambucus Nigra Black Beauty

Verbena Lollipop. Brilliant plant, in flower from early June

Silvery textures of Stachy Byzantine contrasts with the thin foliage of Stipa Gigantea.

Choisya Aztec Pearl in flower for the second time this year, will grow to around 2m
screening the view to the shed. Lavender Hidcote still flowering in front of Choisya.

And how it was BEFORE

RHS Wisley, October 1st

I love late season perennials, and one the best places to see them is at RHS Wisley Gardens in Surrey.

A past client who recently moved house with fabulous open views of the countryside, has asked me to help create swathes of prairie planting in her natural garden setting. I took her to Wisley to see the Piet Oudolf borders in particular, but of course other parts of the garden were still looking glorious again the blue skies today. Looking forward to planning her garden, and watch it develop.

The famous long herbaceous borders still looking very colourful

blue Geranium Rozanne still flowering its socks off! Fabulous plant.

Interesting sculputre in the circular lawn. They strips are done by eye using an old
fashioned rotary mower with a narrow blade. Fabulous.

The Piet Oudolf  borders planted in swathes using grasses and
perennials, repeated across the borders. Many of these plants and grasses are 1m-1.50 tall.

Simple is often best.  A hornbream hedge with Miscanthus grasses

Tom Stuart Smith borders, with Phlomis seed heads edging the paths.

Tom Stuart Smith borders

The edge of the lake.

The formal Waterlily pond

Colourful cyclamen thriving around the base of this Oak Tree

A redesign of a garden from 11 years ago following an extension

"Don't worry, your garden won't suffer", said her builder.   He lied!!

I designed this garden originally about 12 years ago, and following a large extension, it was a pleasure to be invited back to redesign the space to suit the needs of the family today. There were no children 12 years ago, when a huge pond was installed as part of the brief. Now a family of 4, more important was a large patio space, and some raised beds for vegetables.... with some nice planting too of course, and a much smaller wildlife pond.

Newly planted, it will of course look quite different by next year as the young plants bulk out, and begin to spread.

The garden slopes, and the patio steps down to the lawn area. A bed within the patio space can be enjoyed close to the house
through the large bi fold doors. Plants for this sunny spot include Stipa Gigantea, Asters, Crocosmia, Echinacea,
Caryopteris, Salvia, Sedum, and Stachys, with edgers of Euphorbia Myrsinities, and Thyme.

Stepping down from the patio, the left of the garden is shaded by a large wall and fence, so plants with interesting foliage
are crucial here for textural interest including Sarcococca (for it's beautiful winter scent), Euonymous,
Brunnera Jack Frost, Carex Evergrold, Ferns, and Actea.

Next to the wildlife pond, Sedum, Pennisetum grass and Heuchera enjoy the sunshine. In the distance,a brick edged
gravel path leads to 3 vegetable beds which await planting once the sunflowers are removed, and connects back to the patio.

The garden as we found it, after the extension

Why have lawn when you can have a pond!

I was asked to design a garden for a couple whose main desire was plenty of space for table and chairs, two garden sofas, a swing seat, and also two benches. Almost at the last minute, they also said they fancied a pond.        

By the time I had planned the seating areas, and pond, I decided there was little point having any lawn, so made the pond bigger instead. The garden is only just planted, so it will of course be very different next year, but here is the new layout. They have employed a gardener now who will ensure the garden is kept neat and weedfree for them to sit and enjoy, so I can look forward to revisit knowing that it is well tended.

Sofas now have plenty of space and overlook the pond.

The new patio  large enough for table, chairs and sofas.

The gravel path leads to the shed

The gravel path continues past the pond, to a swing seat, offering this alternative
view of the garden.

How it looked before..........