I have recently redesigned and nearly finished the rebuild and planting of my
front garden. I had always been planning to get round to it, but after an
embarrassing moment last year when I was doorstepped by a red-top paper and
subsequently exposed for my rubbish front garden, I decided enough was
enough. Although I admit it was a bit of a mess, the delay in sorting it out
was because I was thinking of digging out the basement, which would have
needed all of the front garden for access for the excavation — honest guv.
In truth I had been completely stitched up as the photographer had placed a
beer bottle on the crumbling front wall, intentionally knocked the bins over
and strewn the kids’ bike cover on the overgrown hedge. The overall
impression resembled a scene out of Shameless. Not good for a garden
designer, but perhaps too common a sight in the city? I’m glad I’ve (nearly)
finished mine. I’m a big fan of front gardens . . . nice ones that is. They
help to give a street a sense of pride, and the general green effect of
plants rather than cars and dustbins helps the neighbourhood along in many
ways.
These days however, there are so many practical issues to think of — as a
family we have four bikes, two wheelie bins (one for rubbish and the other
for green waste), two recycling boxes and a kitchen waste box that all need
somewhere to go. Then there is privacy — how much do you screen without
creating too much shade or that fortress look? On top of those issues, new
Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) laws were introduced in October
2008. The aim of these is to reduce surface run-off and in turn flooding and
the pollution of watercourses. In effect these laws mean that any
traditional impermeable hard surfaces (paving) exceeding 5sq m (54sq ft) now
need planning permission and any surface water cannot just be redirected on
to the pavement where it will end up falling down a road drain.
As well as the practicals, from a visual point of view the front garden needs
to help the property sit in its setting — almost anchor it to the ground.
Simple bold formality can work extremely well. Often the front gate will
line up with the front door, but if the garden is large enough and symmetry
isn’t essential to the design, it’s worth considering diagonally off-setting
the two so the whole of the garden becomes a walk-through. Be generous with
paths and consider paving most of the area with a few planting pockets to
avoid planting in pots, and increasing maintenance.
The landscaping materials of a front garden have to be very carefully
considered. It’s often better to look for a complementary material rather
than attempting directly to copy the material of the building itself. If a
house is made of red brick it can be overwhelming to use the same material
in the front garden — resulting in a rather municipal-looking space. A
lightweight material such as decking against a brick or stone building
simply doesn’t have enough visual weight to tie the building down. The
subtlety of more neutral and natural materials such as stone, slate or
granite all give a feeling of solidity and permanence, which help to connect
a building to the ground without attempting to grab the eye.
For strong visual impact limit yourself to no more than two surface materials.
The small unit paving materials such as brick or tiles can be laid in a
variety of detailed ways, and work extremely well in small spaces. Small
units of paving can be laid to create direction. For example, if bricks are
laid lengthways towards the door from the gate it will draw the eye towards
the door. In contrast, if they are laid horizontally across the field of
view, it will slow the eye down and increase the width of the path.
Gravels and aggregates can create a textural contrast to a paved surface and
are free-draining too, which will help with the new SUDS law. Ideally they
should be kept as a mulch over planting areas rather than walking areas to
avoid displacement. Aim to carry the simplicity through with the planting.
Box and topiary can help to formalise a space instantly and give the
essential evergreen structure to carry the garden through the winter. I
think the front garden is also the perfect place to plant some of the highly
scented winter and early spring flowering plants where they will be seen,
experienced and enjoyed every day by you and your neighbours as you walk
past them.
Top 10 for the shady side
Helleborus x hybridus “Harvington Double Red” Beautiful
saucer-shaped red double flowers from February to April above leathery,
deep-green leaves. Height 60cm: Spread 90cm.
Anemone “Hadspen abundance” This is perfect for a shady
spot. It is a free-flowering Japanese anemone, which has rose-pink,
semi-double flowers and stays in bloom for ages. Height 1.2m: Spread 60cm.
Euphorbia robbiae Wood spurge has fabulous acid-yellow bracts in spring
and glossy evergreen foliage and makes excellent ground-cover in dry shade.
Looks great planted with epimediums or underplanting woodland shrubs. Height
45cm: Spread 45cm.
Polystichum setiferum This evergreen Soft Shield fern with a
shuttlecock shape goes well with perennial geraniums. Cut back fronds in
January if you want to underplant with bulbs. Height 1.2m: Spread 0.9m.
Astrantia major “Hadspen Blood” Astrantias are superb
perennials for light shade under trees and shrubs. “Hadspen Blood” is a
beautiful variety with carmine-red pincushion flowers on maroon stems.
Plants will self seed.
Height 35cm: Spread 30cm.
Box You simply can’t beat clipped evergreen box to add graphic formal
structure to a garden, and it will grow in both sun and shade. Why not clip
it into funky shapes and hedges? Quite slow growing. Its height and spread
are up to you.
Viburnum juddii Deciduous spring-flowering viburnum with rounded pink
clusters of strongly scented flowers tubular in April. It is good in shade
and won’t get too big where space is tight. Height 1.2m: Spread 1.5m.
Sarcococca hookeriana var. digyna Compact shrub for ground cover in the
shade. Clusters of small, creamy-white, tassel-like flowers, which have a
fabulous scent, from December to March. Height 1.50m: Spread 2m.
Pittosporum tobira ‘nanum’ A well behaved dome shaped shrub
with evergreen glossy leaves and clusters of exquisitely scented white
flowers in early summer. Thrives in sheltered gardens in both sun and shade.
I use it to help add structure and as an alternative to box. Height and
spread 60cm
Liriope muscari Very useful evergreen flowering perennial for autumn
with its purple flowers above strap-like leaves. Height 25cm: Spread 30cm.
Top 10 for the sunny side
Achillea millefolium “Paprika” Masses of orange-red flowers
with yellow centres make up the flat, plate-like flowerheads, which float
above low-growing, ferny foliage. There are plenty of varieties, from
yellows through to reds and lilacs. They need good drainage and lots of sun.
Height 60cm: Spread 60cm.
Agapanthus Strap-like leaves and globes of trumpet-shaped flowers.
Loves to be grown in a restricted pot in a sheltered spot. “Black Pantha”
has dark-blue flowers from almost black buds, whereas Headbourne hybrids
range from sky-blues to whites. Height 60cm: Spread 40cm.
Erysimum perennial These will flower on and on and are great value for
money. “Bowles mauve” has intense mauve flowers whereas “Bowles yellow” is
appropriately bright and cheery. Height 50cm: Spread 50cm.
Cosmos bipinnatus A half-hardy annual on stiff stems above fine, fresh
foliage. It provides a constant supply of flowers in vivid pink, purple and
white. Cosmos atrosanguineus has velvety brown chocolate-scented flowers.
Height 50cm-1.2 metres: Spread 30cm.
Hebe topiaria A mound-shaped evergreen shrub with a hint of grey in the
sage-green leaves. I use it for low-maintenance gardens that need structure,
in close plantings to form soft pillows. Height 60cm: Spread 1m.
Convolvulus cneorum Silky silver evergreen foliage with white twisted
flowers. Grows well in sun on well-drained soil or in a pot alongside
Mediterranean plants. Height 75cm: Spread 75cm.
Escholzia californica Californian poppy with grey, feathery foliage and
brightly coloured orange and yellow poppy-like flowers. Loves a hot, dry
aspect and will grow happily between perennials. Height 30cm: Spread 60cm.
Rosemary As an essential herb, rosemary is a great aromatic evergreen
garden plant which can be pruned into shape and makes a good low hedge.
“Miss Jessop’s upright” has a very useful shape, and “Sissinghurst blue” has
intense blue flowers. Height 1.5m: Spread 1.5m.
Miscanthus sinensis “Silberfeder” An ornamental grass with
panicles of silvery bronze flowers. At 2.4m (8ft), gives useful privacy.
Rosa “Falstaff” A shrub rose with sexy crimson-purple
flowers and a powerful scent. Height 1.8m: Spread 90cm.
