Garden project: Filling the gap

Got a gap? Take the opportunity to create a permanent focal point.

Got a gap? If it won’t be filled come spring, and it’s too cold to plant, take the opportunity to create a permanent focal point. Find or buy a centrepiece – in this case a sandstone basin atop a concrete plinth.There are plenty of choices at garden centres, craft markets and junk shops.

If you don’t want to buy one, find a beautifully textured piece of driftwood or an agricultural relic. Make a frame by nailing four pieces of timber together. Use H4 treated timber if you want it to last. If you can’t make mitred corners, keep it square and simple – the foliage will cover up the joins in no time.

Position the base (it’ll be hard to shift if you change your mind) and line it with weedmat. Add soil and centre the piece. Surround with pebbles or chip, and plant the perimeter with a compact grass. If your centrepiece is white, set it in a circle of white shell and surround it with black mondo grass for a great contrast.

Writer_contributor Lee Ann Bramwell