Transforming corners of the garden
One of my favourite challenges is addressing forgotten corners and spaces in a garden. Here the insertion of a new garden studio, positioned to take advantage of light and views across the garden, created a shady triangular corner rising up a bank, next to an area enjoying full sun. The client enjoyed her short walk past this corner to the studio each day, pausing to look at plants along the way, often retreating into the garden for thinking space.
I reimagined the space as a calming refuge, where nature seems to have the upper hand. At its heart is a stone birdbath, around which planting seems to swirl. I selected plants that continued the forms and textures found in the sunnier part of the garden – Hydrangea heads echoing those of the sedum and the Asplenium’s fronds linking back to the silver leaves of the lamb’s ears – so allowing the areas to flow into each other.
Texture was also key, contrasting the bold architectural forms of the bear’s breeches and Mahonia with tactile finer ferns and winter-green perennials. Colour is present through the year; Daphne and Epimedium deliver in winter and spring before Brunnera macrophylla ‘Alexander’s Great’ takes over, followed by the long-flowering Geranium ‘Rozanne’ and Hydrangea paniculata ‘Levana’. In November, the bright yellow flowers of the Mahonia open lasting well into January, where the cycle starts again.
