Charlton is a small village just outside Hitchin and I re-designed a back garden there last summer.
Although the garden had an existing patio, it was tired and unsympathetic to the house and it’s rural setting. Also, the area at the bottom of the garden where the stream ran by was overgrown and neglected.
It was here that a second, smaller patio was built as a place to catch the afternoon sun and feed the passing ducks. This area of the garden was naturally shady and so woodland plants such as hostas and ferns were used to add texture and foliage.
A retaining wall along the right hand side of the garden was re-built using sleepers on their end, varying in height to follow the gradient of the garden. This gave a natural curve to the border and will soften in time as the sleepers age and plants spill over their edges.
The garden nearest the house enjoyed plenty of sunshine and so a palette of cool blues, whites and silver were used for the plants here. Shrubs such as Buddlejah ‘Lochinch’ and perennials Echinops ‘Taplow Blue’ to provide vertical interest.
