designing small gardens

Garden 2 designed by Sarah Price

Exc.i\,11ting .&.nd tt:rnoving tarth is ne"\er an
asy oper,.tion, C'Specially in London gardens

Corten stepping stonn tnrour.age you to pick

wh(tt acctss is difl"1Cult. However, bold m<>es

an n1akc .i spact, and when acttpting thjs
2008 corurnis.sion, J kne.... that the success of
this gouder depended on e."tcavating the
upper g.roul'ld lt\el away (rorn the house.
This not only let light into the do"nstairs
in1erior but <dso created space for a seating

a ttetangle of la\oJn, edged in Carten \ll 11nd

your \'<lY through the planting. They lcol<l 10

raised slightly above the surrounding
planting. The uniform texture of the n10\\'1l
grass. emphasise the beautiful forrn .111d
shadows of t he existing Ma~nolb 1ree.

Not aJJ designs are full) realL~ed, e\Cry

designer runs the risk of tl1eir desi~n pl.ians

area to s1ep out directly on 10 and enjoy.

The co1H1ectio11 behvttu inside and out
\\l,1S enha11ctd by introducing large glass

not being fu lly i1nple1nen1ed. In thi ~ case the

retaining \vall was rendered t1 su1rk '"h ilt and
not lin1e,,ashed in a 1n11ted tone .1 ~ s1>eeified.

\\linJO\\'S a11d doors that look out on to the

and thi<i sornewhtu harsh approach \V~S ldso

adopted ft)r randcun .sections of the old
London brick walls. As .1n ahen111tivc, stn1'itivc

gardtn. A larse por1ion of the budget "'as

spent 011 crealing a set of sculptuml, Corten
steel steps 10 bridge the different garden

lt"-el.s. Tht folded forn1 of the steps appear to

noat abo\(' tht boJC do1ncs, which in ti1ne \\iJJ

rtpointing in li1ne mortar and tl srn 111atrix

of cliinbe:r~ would ha\'e been a 1nore
sympathec" approach 10 the O\'erull schc1nc.

1nerse a1td form abstraC1 doudlike forms., a

counterpoi1H to the .sharp angles of the
g;,i.rdtrt. Tite t'\"t:rg.rttn and e\>er adaptable

READER EVENT
Sarah Pree w1I be d1scuss1ng her ptanltng

gr.ass Ant,,tJJnthdt- kssoniarra interspttse$ the

style at the GARDENS ll.USTRAT0 Festwal

box. pr'O'oiding strong rontrasa in form and

in Apnl. fof details see page

mhing habit. Th< siagg<ttd lines of 11><

gardensfestival.com

8 or vtS4

Key elements of the design

1 A saml@ss transition from inside to out was enhanced by matching lhe deck.Ill'& to lhe
wtdth. d1rtcb0n and flOOr level of the 1ntenor floorboards.

2 TM ,.ngths of the decking boards y,,ere vaned to create a staggered boundary to the
planting area. This bfeaks up the visual impact of the domanant retz11n1ng wall and allows

pockets of dees:i planting to Cfeate the 111ust0n of greater space.

3 LJmlt materlal selection. The rusty orange pabna of Carten steel was chosen to eoms:>lement
the wi:1rm tones ot the old London ti rick along the back boundary. It is ats.o a striking partner to

lrtsh green planting. Chaos"' a dominant material <"Ind repeat 1t across the space to 1ntearott.
4 A restrained planting palette wdl unify a small garden. The evergreen matrix ol Bvxus and
Anemanthele lessoniana rs interplanted with Tutipa.Narcissus,Hesperls, Helfeborus and Diaitahs
lor spr.ng Interest. These are tough plants that won' t mind too much It they are shaded out tater
In the year. The annual tobac co plant. N1'c otiana sylveslns adds scent. height and vtSual dramo
through summQr into autumn. Livelastdieyoung annuals \vork hard in small tawn a,ardeni,
where you can plant them en masse to great effect.

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