The Comyns’ approached me after seeing my flyer displayed at Northfields Nursery and told me of their plans to host their golden wedding anniversary celebrations in their garden (weather permitting!) After my initial squeal of delight we arranged for me to go view their garden.
The garden has a formal feel with a large sloping, well kept, open lawn, flanked by mixed borders to four sides which were in need of some nurturing and the restoration of vitality. Ground elder had been thriving and choking up the borders for some time, so much careful digging was needed before soil could be improved and planted. During the consultation I made recommendations to move some of the existing plants into better positions, we are always looking to work with a garden and preserve any good healthy established plants.
Colours were in need of coordinating and through discussion we discovered a preference for purple, yellow and white. This is the exciting part for me, when I go away and research the best plants for all the micro climates within a garden and pull together plants whose colours, forms and textures bring harmony and dynamic contrast. Well ok, I also get a buzz when the plants boxes arrive and I unpack them adoringly, and without some measure of the green-eyed gardener coming out in me.. I’ll say no more!
Back to my planting plan.. I didn’t want to homogenise the whole garden with a uniform planting scheme, I knew that I wanted to create different areas of interest by offering changing planting styles for each of the four aspects within the north-facing garden. My initial thoughts were of seeking golden yellow roses and during my research discovered images of the ‘golden rose walk’ garden gifted to Sir Winston and Lady Churchill by their children for their golden wedding anniversary in 1958.
The top of the garden faces south and lent itself to being a hotly coloured herbaceous border, as it has the highest point in the garden and the eye is naturally lead up to it from the back of the house. I also wanted to develop a woodland feel garden for the east-facing border, incorporating ferns and white Digitalis (Foxgloves), in among existing grasses and rockery boulders to beautiful effect.
This development project was delivered by me and my Gardening Assistant (and twin) ‘Dave the Gardener‘ and together we planted over 120 new plants, plus many divisions of existing plants (I always go for preservation when possible and share the love around the garden, particularly when any existing plants stock is in good health). Propagating plants is another of my passions and I often give 1:1 workshops to clients on how to develop and increase their plants stocks by starting with what’s growing under their noses.. for free!
I hope that my clients squeal with delight when their party guests enjoy strolling around their newly planted garden and enjoy all the beauty that it has to offer..
If you would like to talk with me about a new garden design, planting plan or a bespoke Dingly Dell for your garden, please do feel free to get in touch, my email is judi@judithegardener.co.uk. For gardening development and maintenance enquiries (North-East London, Essex, Hertfordshire and Enfield) please telephone 07818 005773.
Happy gardening!
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