Traditional garden and parterre

This large garden needed a complete overhaul.  Along one end was a row of enormous Cupressus leylandii, a mature lime tree and a very large Eucalyptus which dominated the space, stopped anything else growing anything near, leached all the moisture and caused tremendous shade to affect most of the garden.There was a large, monstrous water ‘grotto’ in one corner and some ‘faux’concrete balustrading along the edge of a very tired rose bed. The house was being totally modernised but in a classic style.The rear and front gardens needed to reflect this upgrade. 

In the rear garden, the lime tree was subject to a preservation order and had to remain but the Cupressus and the Eucalyptus were removed. In their place, Chanticleer’ with a row of hornbeam Carpinus betulus hedging in front. Behind the planting a tall new hand made trellis was designed to provide additional screening and for support for climbers.This was painted the same pale silvery sage green as the garden house.

"The garden was deeply overshadowed a row of enormous Cupressus and a very large and thuggish Eucalyptu. Permission had to be sought to remove these trees before anything could be done. "

As the clients were to build a garden house and a hammam into the garden, the new garden had to fit around this, while at the same time leaving enough room for a large lawn for the couple’s children.  Therefore, three separate terraces were created all linked by soft planting; the main one was off the large conservatory kitchen extension, the second smaller one was built off the formal drawing room – these were linked by a brick path softened by lovely planting including Nepeta.  The third smaller terrace lay outside the garden house with two small rose pillars to give it additional privacy.  This terrace was created to catch the last of the evening sun.

The planting was rich and fairly traditional with mainly perennials in deep violets, purples and pink such as Paeonia, Penstemon, Astrantia, Nepeta, Salvia nemerosa and Alcea rosea intermingled with small shrubs such as Philadelpus, Ceanothus, rosemary and lavender, with some softer touches introduced by using finer grasses and perennials including Miscanthus and Foeniculum vulargis purpureum and a number of pink and white English roses including Rosa Gertrude Jekyll.. Iris and Allium complete the picture in May and June to create a riot of purples, pinks and whites.