The initial brief was for the main garden at the back but subsequently the front has been revamped as well. That's for another day though.
For the backgarden project I was starting with a rather blank canvas and a few keepers: a garden that was enclosed by fencing on three sides, a lawn in ok condition, a reasonably new deck and a garden shed in a corner. No planting to be kept as there was none apart from Rose 'Alnwick' in a pot which really needed more space.
There were three main challenges: access to the garden via a very narrow side path (too narrow for a standard wheelbarrow), heavy clay soil and an unexpectedly windy situation.
The access problem got resolved by investing in a small wheelbarrow. As far as the soil was concerned, I suggested made to measure raised beds to be filled with imported topsoil and garden compost; this would also allow the owner to tend to her garden more easily. With regards to the wind, I simply ensured that all structures are well attached/anchored, plants tied in where necessary and plants were chosen for their suitability to cope with an exposed site.
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| The tiniest plot |
I designed three made to measure raised beds, two for sunny conditions and one very large one for shady stretch.
The treated wooden planks were ordered from a local timber yard and I used the waiting time to paint the fence a neutral green, much easier to access than once the beds are in place.
Once the wood was delivered my heart sank a little when I saw all the wood stacked on the front lawn. There sure was a lot!
I built the two sunny beds with ease but needed to rope in my husband for the large one as the planks were too heavy to be manoeuvred by myself.
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| Shady bed, planting complete (summer 2009) |
The tiny backgarden has some good features to make the most of the limited space. There is trellis attached to some of the raised beds, allowing some clematis to scramble up and hide the shed. A gothic mirror arch attached to the rear fence gives the illusion of a slightly larger garden. The raised beds have been painted in the same dark green shade as the fence to draw attention to the lush planting rather than to the wood itself.
Now after some three years, the garden is starting to look more mature. The gaps between plants have filled and the planting has grown to some height.
I am pleased to say that the raised beds have held up very well. The paint is beginning to fade a little, but structurally they are as good as the day they were built. No warping or bowing but then again my client got what she paid for: solid treated wood planks, Spax screws (the ones from the title), made to measure raised beds to use the tiny plot to its full potential, this was no cheap build.
The planting has worked out well too. I would not use Cypress Spurge 'Fens Ruby' again as it is proving too vigorous for its position Artemisia 'Powis Castle', often short-lived, has just been taken out after it is flopping over the front too much.
The rudbeckias in the back bed suffered with drought last year but a good mulch and a reminder about the need to water have worked for this year and they have much recovered.
Clematis 'Guernsey Cream' works a dream covering the trellis in part shade, a woody hydrangea 'Annabelle' delights well into winter and the Tulipa turkestanica have been a hit. Rose 'Alnwick' has plenty of space to spread out and Photinia 'Red Robin' is pruned twice a year to ensure it does not crowd the tiny sunny bed.
As my client is perfectly capable of looking after her small garden herself, my input is now reduced to trimming lawn edges, hedge cutting at the front and seasonal pruning. I pop over once a month and because there is so little to do but I love seeing this garden mature and fill out.
I have to remember to bring a camera next time as the picture quality does not do this garden justice.
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