In just three weeks we transformed a tired garden with a small unusable lawn and unattractive block wall into a scented conteporary space.
An asymmetrical design brought a Mediterranean feel to the garden that was in keeping with its location barely 500 yards from the sea. Drought tolerant plants were used alongside an automatic timed irrigation system to accomodate the garden's very sandy soil. Semi-mature trees and shrubs were used for instant appeal.
The block wall was rendered and painted in a warm but muted dark plum that provides the perfect backdrop to the bue-green foliage of a sculptural cloud pruned Scots pine, aligned with a suspended 'egg' chair on the opposite side of the garden. The formal pine is softened by areas of foxtail barley grass either side that sway in the slightest breeze and framed by wall-trained panels of Trachelospermum jasminoides whose flowers will fill this sheltered garden with their richly sweet scent in the summer.
Travertine paving hints further at the balmy mico-climate this garden enjoys and two areas of drought tolerant planting offer colour and additional scent throughout the summer. A pleached frame of evergreen Eleagnus conceals a neighbour's balcony whilst also providing fragrant autumn flowers and a view through to the back of the garden where a log store with sedum roof provides useful storage. Two Gleditsia Skyline trees (chosen for their more vertical form but planted semi-mature at over 200kg each) provide delicate foliage screening at diagonal corners. A beloved potted fig tree has been relocated to a border with a southg-facing wall amongst aromatic herbs. A small cupboard for tools has been built into otherwise wasted space between the studio and boundary wall.
Photos show garden starting to fill out one year after completion.