This seemingly simple project brief – to enhance the visual interest of the large expanse of lawn with low maintenance planting – was in reality quite complex given the aspect and size  of the ‘garden’ that the clients wanted developed.

Having spent considerable time getting to know the property it was clear that the vast expanse of lawn was quite out of proportion to the house and offered no visual interest  from any view point. Most significantly, the main view from the kitchen and breakfast room offered no interest across the lawn and stopped at the hedge line. In addition, the existing rose arbour and rose beds lying at one end of the garden but were quite disconnected to the other end. Other than the roses there was very little to draw the clients out into the garden on this side of the property.

Having adequate outdoor seating and dining areas in other parts of the garden the clients did not wish further hard landscaping. Consequently, planting was designed to principally provide a view across the garden from the breakfast room and to connect both ends of the garden whilst providing visual interest through the year.

The view from the breakfast room has been enhanced by removing a section of the field hedge and placing a gate in it’s place. Sections of hedging either side have been lowered to add interest and a second Hawthorn tree was planted to echo an existing one, both now framing the gate. Instead of the previous abrupt end to the view it now extends out into the field and beyond which also gives a feeling of intrigue and invites exploration.

In order to provide interest and to further enhance the view across the garden from the breakfast room a semi-circle, broken in to 4 parts, was planted with shrubs and perennials providing structure and colour through the year.

Ribbons of grasses, interplanted with ornamental crab apple trees were then planted to connect the ends of the garden. At one end stands the rose arbour and at the very far end, a beautiful Cedrus deodora, now providing significant interest at either end as they are viewed through the avenue of grasses and crab apples. To help connect these two features a beautiful existing bench was copied allowing one to sit at either end inviting the client to walk through the grasses pausing on the benches to appreciate the view.

The use of grasses provides interest for the majority of the year. Once cut back in February new growth appears by late spring and provides a good backdrop to a mass planting of flowering spring bulbs such as Narcissi and then Camassias coinciding with apple blossom.  Flower panicles then rise in the summer and remain standing during the winter providing continual interest, structure and movement to the garden.