The words I hear most often from people who know I regularly write about and sometimes design gardens are, “Your own garden must be gorgeous.” Well, it isn’t. Right now it has grass higher than my knees in which are buried a dozen railway sleepers on their way to being a low garden wall.
Where there used to be white pavers set into white stone chip, there are now mud-coloured pavers set into mud-coloured mud, and the front terrace, which used to be a rather elegant walled lawn bisected by a shell path, is covered in slimy dead leaves and wet brown petals from our magnolia.
Even when it hasn’t been raining every day for a couple of months, our garden has the same characteristics as a mechanic’s car or a builder’s house – it’s a work in progress, often without the progress.
When people say kind things about it, my standard answer is, “It’s getting there.” But is it? How do you tell? If there were a finite plan to which we were working we would be able to measure progress, but gardens are evolving things and I am the biggest mind-changer.
Something that seemed like a great idea yesterday will be complete rubbish tomorrow; it’s not surprising that my partner wears an expression of perpetual puzzlement. Bewildered and bemused are other words that accurately describe his usual state of mind.
In an effort to force me to define my likes and dislikes, and put together a reasonable wish list which he can action over spring and summer, he asked me to choose my six all-time favourite garden things and then draw, with the help of some clever garden design software, a plan for the 0.8ha, including land sculpting, landscaping and planting. “And a time frame,” he added sternly.
I’m still trialling the design software – which is enormous fun and the perfect way to fill in the unprecedented number of rainy days we have had – but I have sorted out my big six which are random and mostly inappropriate to where we live.
One: Divided deck
The entranceway to this renovated 1970s house has always intrigued me. It’s possibly because the long, straight lines of the walls, path and rill create an inexorable pull toward the house, and the walk is a journey of discovery as you explore what is happening in the water. And then on the other side of the timber wall, there’s another deck – but you don’t see it until you arrive at the house. I’ve always counselled against the use of too many materials but here timber, concrete, stoneand corrugated iron are cleverly brought together in a design I still admire.
Two: Natural swimming pool
I’ve been harping on about a swimming pool for about three years, but have finally decided that a pond in which I can swim is a better option. It’s more sustainable, more environmentally friendly, and – most importantly for me – cheaper. I’ve had this photograph for several years. I love the shell beach, the railway sleeper jetty and the natural planting. It’s the perfect style for someone who wants to enjoy lying by or in the pool without having to think about whether the tiles need scrubbing or if there are dead leaves in there. Nature pools are all the rage in Europe – the Germans seem especially good at making them – and there’s lots of information about how to keep the water clean using plants and fish. Forget swimming with dolphins, swimming with eels is the go.
Three: Cool courtyard
If you have lots of land, this is one way of landscaping it that is dramatic, elegant, low maintenance and, quite possibly, unique. It is entirely enclosed by the plastered wall and there is nothing in it apart from the timber seat. The idea of sitting here and enjoying the view in summer is utterly appealing.
Four: Planter box
Courtyards, terraces and entranceways need a focal point and this would be great fun to make. Good for someone who changes their mind a lot, too, because it can be reorganised on a whim. Other than the concrete walls which contain it, the light fitting is the only permanent fixture,and even its position can be a little flexible. The grey stones are contained within their curvy shape by metal garden edging and white shell has been used as a contrast. Two local rocks inside the container match a larger one outside and the planting has been limited to a couple of cycads, a palm, a bromeliad and some black mondo. I’m sure that rearranging the elements would be therapeutic.
Five: Water feature
This is another watery thing to do, which is given special appeal partly by the wacky copper water fountain, but also by the big stones in the rill. If you’re not going to keep your water feature or pond perfectly clean, adding visual interest such as these rocks is a great way to distract the eye from anything that shouldn’t be in there.
Six: Blocks
This piece of sculpture, set on the walkway along the New Plymouth shore, has an awesome simplicity and I love it for the fact it wouldn’t be difficult to copy in a similar form. The shoreline, however, might be harder to replicate. Massive pieces of timber like this aren’t two a penny, but every now and then you come across such an item – usually behind an old workshop or in a deserted farm shed – and you could make a block to sit on top. The key is to choose your materials well and get the proportions right.
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