A chic, stylish, Mediterranean-inspired oasis
Woking, Surrey
Having invested their own design expertise into a fabulous makeover of the interior of this property, this client was looking to complement this with a design for the front and rear gardens and replicate the high-quality finish throughout the whole exterior.
Practicalities first - issues with the existing site were not unexpected due to the fact it had been left unkempt for a number of years. A deep rotovation to the soil, a clearance of discarded (buried!) building material to well below planting depth, and an import of sterilised, quality topsoil prepared the site for planting and ameliorated the residual weed problem. A brand new soakaway improved drainage of the space and improved growing conditions.
The design structure for the garden was kept largely minimalist, fresh and open in order to reflect the contemporary styling of the property’s interior. A quality turf was laid throughout the back garden whilst a hedgerow of Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) was chosen for its easy & quick establishment, its robustness in many growing conditions, and its foliage interest throughout all seasons of the year. This planting enclosed three borders of the garden to tie in the space and (in time) disguise the awkward range of fencing styles already in situ.
The client’s nostalgia for their previous Mediterranean properties led us to complementing the porcelain patio with planting beds dressed with white pebbles. These were stocked with grasses including Blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) and Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus gracillimus), evergreens such as Spurge (Euphorbia characias ‘Tasmanian Tiger’), and perennials including Catmint (Nepeta racemosa ‘Dawn to Dusk’) and Balcan clary (Salvia nemerosa ‘Caradonna’). A blend of taller Purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis) and Gaura linheimeri ‘Short Form’ provided a soft but practical border against the height of the patio edges. A matching pair of Young’s weeping birch (Betula pendula ‘Youngii’) beautifully framed the staircase to the patio.
The patio itself featured a spectacular pair of Cordyline (Cordyline australis ‘Torbay Dazzler’) sat in tall planters, whilst the maroon-coloured stems of three Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica) in cube planters contrasted beautifully with the anthracite fencing.
A row of Black bamboo plants (Phyllostachis nigra) were incorporated to provide screening height from the neighbour’s conservatory. These were installed with substantial root barrier protection to prevent their spread and maintain their grouping.
The front garden also reflected the clean, open, welcoming, Mediterranean feel. Minimal planting within gravel borders and the front island allowed us to maintain a generous parking space. Various sizes of Cordyline (Cordyline australis ‘Torbay Dazzler’) provided fabulous architectural shape against the white rendered front walls of the house. Repeated specimens of Japanese Mock Orange (Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’), white and purple Lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote Blue’ and ‘Edelweiss’), Blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) and Russian sage (Salvia yangii ‘Blue Spire’) completed the border.
The front island separating the driveway from the pavement was secured in place by a large New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax ‘Apricot Queen’) and tied in with further plants matching the borders and a Dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo ‘Mops’). A pair of Hebe (Hebe franciscana ‘Tricolour’) in tall planters framed the doorway and burst into flower just as the planting scheme was completed.
