Few of us enjoy the luxury of living in generous spaces so we have to give plain ordinary surroundings a bit of character. Steeping into this garden, so rich in carefully selected plants and full of wildlife, it is difficult to believe that its owner once faced an old farm land over grown with black berry bushes and brambles - a forest of saplings in soil that was impoverished, sour and heavy, and that harbored an army of slugs and snails. A less energetic, ambitious person might have turned tail and fled.
I took up this place with a few basic garden tools and plenty of slug bait. I moved rapidly on from my first delphinium, gradually abandoned thoughts of burgeoning herbaceous borders and began to sort out my ideas on design by visiting gardens. Eventually I decided to concentrate my efforts on bold shapes and foliage rather than masses of flowering plants.
The space, twenty-five meters long by twenty meters wide, set between old walls, is now wisely and imaginatively used, embodying the strong structure. This has not been achieved without experiment, some changes of direction and a lot of heart-searching as early loves had to b e ripped out and replaced. The result is a setting fit for a fete champetre, where roses and clematis cascade and elegant, formal trellis-work, painted soft sea-green, divides the garden into hidden areas as if for secret trysts.
In this setting there just had to be a grotto. I felt the need for water splashing among damp ferns, I called in a horticulturist, master of exotic foliage, to advice on this. With tastes like chalk and cheese there were bound to be differences of opinion, but they proved stimulating and productive. Frogs and toads are making a home in the pond and are helping to keep down the ravening slugs; water lilies are becoming established; and birds and butterflies add new pleasures to the garden.
On the terrace I have placed elegant tables and chairs for dining outdoors; these are set between urns on plinths and surrounded by highly scented plants. Here, I have set array of pots holding specimens that need extra care.
Scented plants, too, are important and I have masses of them. I also love the green-and-gold veils of grouped grasses. Other favorites are self-seeders. Plants overflow the potting area on to window-sills and have even ousted the car from the garage. These surplus to my needs are snapped up by fortunate people who visit my garden.
The garden has plenty of trees. An ever-encroaching weeping willow from the original garden had to be eradicated, but this made room to plant an evergreen Magnolia grnadiflora and a little grove of deciduous trees. Three Betula pendual 'Tristis' have bright, frosted stems and flickering leaves. There are others for texture and autumn color. Beneath them there is space to experiment with the large dramatic foliage plants.
When I find the time to visit other gardens, I am fascinated to discover what motivates their gardeners. I am constantly analyzing my own approach which I describe as a mix of the intellectual and the instinctive.
