My clients had lived in their home since their children were babies. The children have now all grown up and left home and it was time to revamp the garden. There was no longer a need to worry about ball games and my client had just purchased a lovely arbour which prompted the need to review the whole garden.

They wanted a traditional garden with plenty of plants without losing any of the mature trees or shrubs. As well as the new arbour, I also needed to incorporate the existing shed into the garden and provide access to the neighbouring garden at the rear.

The shape and size of the borders always has a big impact on the style of the garden. I used deep borders to blur the boundary edges and help create division between the different areas.

Plants were chosen to span the seasons. Tulips and alliums play a vital part in providing early colour in the garden.

Then I used early summer planting such as Roses, Irises and Geraniums and then Rudbeckias and Sedums for late summer and winter when their seed heads continue to provide structure.

Although this was a traditional garden, it was not a formal one. So to create an informal look I arranged the plants in drifts so that they mingle together and create a more naturalistic effect. Drifts of perennials will colonise the ground and keep weeds down reducing the time spent maintaining the garden.

Brighter colours were used closer to the house and these then faded into softer colours towards the rear which created the impression that the garden was receding away into the distance. I placed the borders closer to the house and then used the shrubs and trees towards the rear. This increased the sense of the garden merging with the neighbouring more mature trees.

If you’ve lived in the same home for many years, your ideal garden layout will almost certainly change. I can make the most of the space you have available. For a free consultation, please get in touch either by calling 07775 611047 or email [email protected].