Case study: Hither Green, South East London
Garden size: 40m2
Project value: £25,000
Garden aspect: South
Landscaper: Garden Tamers
Build completed: Summer 2024
Andrew and Ryan approached us with a brief for an “abundant” garden, with lots of colour and texture. They wanted a space to relax and entertain, with a secondary seating area, in a peaceful, naturalistic setting.
The garden’s modest size meant that it couldn’t practically be divided into rooms, so we made space for a single generously-sized patio area immersed by planting on all sides, with a little nook for morning coffee down the side return, repurposing an existing bench the couple had.
This garden belongs to a beautifully restored Victorian terrace, so while contemporary buff porcelain was used, clay pavers were used to break up the hard landscaping and help relate it to the period architecture of the house. Hard lines have been softened with the fine foliage of grasses and evergreen shrubs and climbers, ensuring year-round interest. Venetian fencing was installed and then painted black, helping these plants to stand out in relief, the different shades of green and foliage textures standing out in contrast.
Our native Hawthorn and two crab apples were included for privacy, with the added benefit of seasonal interest with blossom and berries for birds. Grasses have been used generously to create movement and texture. While irises and geraniums have been used for ephemeral colour, colour has been considered in a more persistent way through foliage - the bronze blades of Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’, and the coppery foliage of Dryopteris erythrosora, the buckler fern, provide a long season of interest.
The grassy foliage of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’ creates a sheer haze to look through when viewing the garden from the kitchen window, while evergreen star jasmine frames the window from the outside. The view into the side return previously looked at a bare fence, so a modest planting bed was created all the way down, with more star jasmine and shade tolerant plants. A rill was included for “mind your own business”, a creeping ground cover, to squeeze in even more greenery into this space, echoing the rows of clay pavers.
Clients Ryan and Andrew say: ‘We can’t thank Shaun enough for how he transformed our sad and tired outdoor space into a beautiful oasis. We needed someone with the vision and expertise to convert our rough brief and ill-formed thoughts into reality, and Shaun delivered in spades. From the initial consultation to the final planting, he was a pleasure to work with - we would highly recommend his services to anyone seeking a skilled, creative and thoughtful garden designer.’
