Some projects are completed in a few weeks or months, and others become ongoing relationships. Jo has worked with this client and their garden for over ten years.
The initial aim was to convert a large, plain, grassed garden into a vibrant cottage style garden, with wide borders full of colour, making planting the star of the show.
Framing a lush and neatly edged green lawn, these borders deliver a riot of seasonal colour, set against the structure provided by more slowly changing shrubs and trees.
Banks of daffodils and tulips at the front brighten up early spring, before moving into the rich purples, pinks and hot orange and yellow of summer. Planting includes purple verbena bonariensis - tall, slender and see through, bringing height forward without blocking the view of what’s behind. Lythrum, known to many as loosestrife, adds more height, with it’s thin vertical spires, in deeper pink purples. Deep rich burgundy comes from Penstemon ‘Raven’, more tall slender spikes, the tubular shaped flowers echoing the foxgloves elsewhere in the garden.
Moving into pinks, crimson phlox bring gorgeous colour to mid height, as well as incredible scent, while daisy like echinacea just shout ‘summer’. A cottage garden wouldn’t be complete without roses - Rosa Ballerina, Munstead Wood and Bonica all add to the show.
Spicy red and yellow complete the planting party - bright yellow rudbeckia Goldsturm, red crocosmia and crimson monarda - bring an energy and vibrancy.
Varying plant heights lift the eyes to the wide open skies above and beyond. Flowing curves feature throughout the garden, from border edges to the shape of the patio, and the paving used to create it.
