Contemporary Garden, Whitstable, Kent, UK
Contemporary garden with a new planting scheme for an existing garden
Contemporary garden in need of a planting design scheme. The Client’s garden was finished last year and a new planting scheme is required to suit the design of the house and the garden. In order for the Clients to visualize how the plants fit within the design, the planting plan is shown as a layer on top of the hand-drawn Plan. A row of Betula along the back wall will in time provide privacy from the neighbouring properties. A mix of ornamental grasses, herbaceous perennials, shrubs and trees create a wildlife-friendly garden, while at the same time being fairly low maintenance. The Client requests that the sunniest corner be left clear, apart from an espaliered fruit tree, as an area to grow fruit and vegetables. In order to stop soil splashing up the newly rendered white walls a decorative stone is used as a top dressing. A decorative pergola is used to grow climbers with scent, while the fence to the left-hand side has wires stretched along it so that an existing rambling rose gives colour and scent during the summer. It is important for the Clients to have interest for 12 months of the year, so through the use of colour from flowers, bark, stems and leaves, scent from flowering shrubs and perennials and brief visits from spring, summer, autumn and winter bulbs, the planting scheme comes alive. As the main living space is across the full width of the garden it is important to create vistas from the bi-fold doors and windows. A rigid, angular design is softened, while still allowing the structure of the garden to be seen and appreciated.