Smart patio renovation
Woking, Surrey
We were approached by a lovely couple in Woking to provide a redesign and renovation of a small patio space at the rear of their detached property. The existing space was oriented north-east so shaded for most of the day, it was uneven, cluttered and just too small for their needs. Luckily an old garage adjoining the patio was due for demolition, and they were looking to extend outwards; both which would create more space and offer more options.
We provided a range of layouts suggesting different styles and different routes from the house down into the garden. In the end the preferred design had good enclosure with raised planters, much larger seating/dining areas, two stairways to the garden, and planters either side of the main staircase from the house itself.
Workmanship was provided by J M Landscape & Design who turned the project around in a matter of weeks. All the new blockwork was properly waterproofed internally to protect the excellent rendering externals. Piping conduits were laid beneath the new sandstone paving to allow for irrigation piping. The planters were all backfilled with quality soil, and bespoke trellising along the newly-exposed wall behind the old garage was installed for a set of climbing plants.
The repertoire of new plants had to contend with a range of growing conditions over quite a small space. From the back corner in shade all year round, to the opposite corner which would see full sunshine throughout the day, albeit for just a few months of the year.
Feature plants in prominent positions either side of the various staircases included Japanese Maples (Acer palmatum dissectum), New Zealand Flax (Phormium ‘Bronze Baby’), Sweet Box (Sarcococca hookeriana ‘Purple Gem’), and Oak-leaved Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Munchkin’).
Shade-tolerant perennials included Plantain Lilies (Hosta ‘Patriot’ and H. ‘Blue Mouse Ears’), Soft Shield Fern (Polystichum setiferum) and the beautiful Painted Lady Fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum). A selection of Agapanthus and Allium bulbs populated the sunnier parts of the planters.
Groundcover and underplanting was provided by Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) and Coral Bells (Heuchera ‘Melting Fire’).
The new trellises will, in time, be covered by three Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). Clematis 'Jackmanii' was chosen not just for its ease of maintenance (group 3 pruning - hard prune to near ground-level each February), but because it puts on all its new growth each season and so would deal with whatever growth the jasmine had in place. Lastly, in the dark corner of the patio we chose Climbing Hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris) which would deal with those conditions and eventually cover the fence and start climbing the walls of the house.
