France's garden
The perfect small-garden tree for… topiary Crab apples and even sweet apple trees lend themselves to annual pruning and shaping. Here, a lovely dome shape is evocative of traditional cottage gardens. Beautiful blossom in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn that can remain on the tree for a lengthy period, mean these trees have two seasons of interest. They are also wonderful for birds as they are home to many insects and provide fruit in the autumn.
The perfect small-garden tree for… a shady spot Look no further than the Japanese maples. Slow-growing and graceful, they have delicate translucent foliage, through which the sun will shine, illuminating the whole plant. Shade-loving, these trees grow happily with other shade-tolerant plants such as ferns and hostas. Foliage colours vary amongst the myriad varieties. Some have spectacular spring colours and most have stunning autumn colours. They do need shelter and dislike wind or dry situations which causes their delicate foliage to brown and curl.
This kind of small-scale greening has a long history. In Japan, for example, tsuboniwa – small and carefully curated domestic courtyard gardens – are a traditional architectural form for bringing greenery and cross-breezes into small residential spaces. “Creating a tsuboniwa in the centre of the building makes it possible to see greenery from every room. You can turn small, unused spaces into a tsuboniwa or use one as a kind of screen to avoid too much visibility from the neighbours,” Ishihara says.
Two sheds frame the planted island behind the pond. “I built them early on, but as they’re focal points at the end of the paths, I needed to add an architectural exterior,” Simon says. “These are made of exterior plywood and plastic cornicing, but now they’re painted, you wouldn’t know the difference.” A mirror is located behind an old wrought iron gate to create the illusion of another garden beyond. “You have to be clever with space in an urban garden to make things seem bigger and to not feel as if you’re crammed in between your neighbours,” Simon says. “I hope I’ve achieved that.”
Lilies don’t like splashing water, so make sure they are planted in calm water away from any disturbances. Plant lilies in aquatic baskets lined with hessian and in aquatic or very loamy soil. Make sure the crown is at soil level.
recessed acer
sculpture
black shed, box & shaped trees
terracing & glass garden room
statue!
cloud pruning
Many insects like damp and shade, so you can site your structure by a hedge or tree. Alternatively, if you put it in a sunnier spot, you can encourage more bees. Make sure you use a combination of materials, including: stones and tiles for amphibians; loose bark for beetles, spiders and centipedes; dry sticks for ladybirds; straw and hay for invertebrates to burrow in; holes for solitary bees, which you can create by using old bamboo canes, and which you may see blocked with dry mud by the bee. You can also create a solitary bee nesting box easily by making a box out of treated wood, filling it with dry, hollow stems of bamboo or with plants such as sunflowers or teasels, and packing them in tightly so no stems fall out. Fix this to a sunny and sheltered wall.
In a raised bed behind the bench, Amanda planted a flowering dogwood (Cornus kousa), which she bought as a mature tree. “It has little, starry-shaped bracts, which are very beautiful when you’re looking down from the windows above,” she says. “It’s important to consider the views you’ll have of your plants when you position them.” The potted plants are hostas. “They’re very heavy and in large pots,” Amanda says. “I’ve put them on pot trolleys that take up to 160kg. They roll at a touch, so I can easily sweep underneath them without help. It’s part of me being independent in my own space.”
terraces & pergola
terraces
Big up brick Here’s a similar idea, but this time the beds have been raised. A shallow brick wall has been built to section off each area of soil. Raised beds like these have a few benefits, including preventing soil spilling out onto the patio area and acting as a partial barrier to slugs and snails.
Steel away Classic timber and stone border edges are an attractive choice, but if you’re looking for something more space-saving, consider going for some super-slim, contemporary Corten steel. Here, the designers have grouped a collection of steel raised beds together. The colour of the rusted surface works well with the sandstone patio, and the rust will protect the metal from atmospheric corrosion, so they should last for years.
Shelve it Here’s a striking design. Rows of slanted shelves have been planted with edible crops to once again take advantage of height. What makes this feature look even more visually interesting is the regimented way the plants are positioned. Each crop has been grouped in a uniform way, making it easy to find them and adding a quirky element to the design.
herb garden
Make the most of container planting If you’re renting you might feel reluctant to invest in the garden, so why not focus on containers instead? Window boxes and planters can be filled with seasonal plants or low-maintenance evergreens. It’s a great way of ringing the changes, and they can be taken with you when you move. Pots are high maintenance, though, and will need watering every day in the summer. Benedict Smith’s top tip for container plants is to add plenty of mulch to the soil, and to put a layer of decorative gravel on top to conserve water.
Plant on your driveway If you need space for a driveway, you can still incorporate some greenery. Take out some of the paving and plant either grass or hard-wearing ground cover plants in the spaces. Bingham recommends using robust, low-growing plants such as Lysimachia nummularia, Ajuga reptans, thyme, sedum and creeping phlox. It’s also possible to lay a reinforced mesh system over a lawn, which will provide a grid for the grass to grow through and allow cars to drive over without causing damage. You’ll find these protective grids at a number of retailers.
Jane agrees. “Many of the most beautiful foliage plants thrive in shade,” she says. “Having a north-facing garden may prompt you to think more about foliage and less about flowers. This may lead you to create a more interesting garden that looks great for a longer period than one reliant on flowers that are inevitably more fleeting.” “North-facing gardens can be great,” Luke says. “They reduce the need to create shade, particularly next to the house. Planting requires less watering and maintenance than in a garden that receives full sun – something that’s becoming so much more important with climate change.”
What are your must-haves in a north-facing garden? For Katie, it’s “light-coloured walls and paving, lighting, and coloured or variegated foliage”. “The right plants to soften the garden,” Luke agrees, “plus wall-trained fruit trees to provide structure.” Plants are key for Jane. “Sarcococca confusa for its wonderful winter scent and tolerance of dry shade. Mahonia aquifolium, because it’s very happy in shade and provides vital food for pollinators at the end of winter. And ferns, ferns, ferns – for their ability to thrive in shade, their glorious textures, and the elegant unfolding of their new leaves in spring.”
“Plants with pale or variegated foliage can help to lighten shady areas,” Jane says. “Try Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’ [pictured]; Lonicera ligustrina var. yunnanensis ‘Baggesen’s Gold’; Euonymus fortunei ‘Silver Queen’, and Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’. “Dark green foliage is great for contrast, but use it sparingly. In terms of colours, go for cool blues and purples that recede and pale colours, such as yellows, lime greens and whites, for brightness.”
“Porcelain is popular partly because it absorbs less water than natural stone, such as sandstone, and is therefore generally more resistant to moss,” she says. “Composite decking, such as Millboard, is non-porous, so is also more resistant to moss build-up.”
A step up to the extension of this raised area created the opportunity for a more relaxed seating area with a firepit, tucked around the corner.
In this garden, Bestall & Co Landscape Design made excellent use of the different parts of this two-level garden in Yorkshire. The area just outside the patio doors is smooth and practical, made from sawn and honed imported sandstone, which is perfect for lightening the outdoor kitchen and dining area. Up a level – and a focal point when looking out of the doors – is a water feature positioned in the centre of a characterful cobbled area. This is defined by flowerbeds created from similar stone to the house. Both features were original but needed restoration.
“We couldn’t just get rid of tons of soil or stone,” she says. “We used stone from the site for all the new walls, and also placed it decoratively around to keep the feel of the gorge.” The garden now features contemporary terraces, wild meadow planting and even a sunken hot tub.
“It was really challenging – and planning in Cheddar is delicate, as you can imagine,” she says. “We worked with the existing slope and set new levels in order to create a better relationship with the house and a better flow.”
drawer with acrylic dividers
Use the outside wall If space is tight inside your shed, don’t forget about the outside. You could hang up a slim storage unit (in this case, an old pallet). While it couldn’t be used for things that need to be kept dry, you could store sturdy items such as plant pots, or add a few hooks to hang a watering can or garden hose. You could also use this wall to create a vertical garden in a small space, provided adequate drainage is factored in so water isn’t allowed to run down the wall of the shed.
Store seeds in glass jars Take inspiration from your kitchen cupboard and store small garden ‘ingredients’, such as seeds, in tiny glass herb jars for a consistent display that’s easy to navigate. Just make sure each jar is clearly labelled to avoid mix-ups. Larger glass jars are also useful for keeping twine, plant labels and other small items tidied away but clearly visible.
Work in some trees Trees can be also used in a white-themed garden. The white bark of Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, for instance, can look wonderful planted either as a single specimen or in groups. There are various trees with wonderful white blossom. Prunus ‘Shirotae’ (Mount Fuji cherry) is a good choice for a smaller garden, but it does need space for its wide canopy. It has pure-white, semi-double flowers on pendulous branches in April-May. Another tree that works well with a white colour scheme is the weeping silver pear, Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’. This ornamental pear tree has beautiful, narrow, grey-green leaves that have a silver downy underside. The single white flowers appear in April-May.
White garden: Grow tall Spires of blooms add impact in a white garden. Plants to try include Digitalis purpurea f. albiflora; Delphinium ‘Centurion White’; Campanula persicifolia ‘Alba’; Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Album’, and Phlox paniculata ‘Mount Fuji’, to name but a few. Do make sure you keep on top of cutting back once the plants have finished blooming, as this encourages the smaller side shoots, which will prolong flowering.
Stagger your blooms Make sure when planning a white garden that you stagger the flowering times, so you have a continuous display throughout the year. To keep the garden looking fresh, you’ll need to deadhead frequently, picking off any faded blooms. There’s a huge range of white-flowering plants, including self-seeders such as Nigella damascena ‘Miss Jekyll Alba’ (love-in-a-mist) and Lunaria annua var. albiflora (honesty), bulbs, and ground-cover plants such as Viola cornuta Alba Group. Then there are perennials such as Astrantia major ‘Large White’, as well as shrubs, climbers, white-flowering evergreens, including Sarcococca ruscifolia (fragrant sweet box) and hebe, hedging and, of course, trees.
White garden: Don’t forget your foliage Foliage plants are a vital ingredient in a single-colour garden or border. Foliage acts as both a foil for the flower colour and a calming backdrop that brings all the different elements together. Using green foliage as a backdrop will lend much-needed structure to the flowering plants and reinforce the tonal variations. Topiary shapes will further enhance the space and add interest.
The planters at the base of the trellis were built and painted to match the trellis. “Each planter has a simple, but effective, moulding design with beading on the front,” says Gee. The result is classic with a period look that matches the houses all around.
“The terrace had uneven low walls and existing railings, which made accurately levelling the planters onto the walls during installation a challenge,” explains Gee.
Portugal laurel [pictured] has been used in this village garden, which is overlooked on three sides.
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