Planting Design 7 - Godmanchester
Design Rationale
Godmanchester
The planting for this garden needed to be dog friendly but specifically not to contain anything toxic that Neil and Donna’s dog ‘Jackson’, could eat lots of!
They wanted a seasonal display, with winter interest as well as the summer blooms. They were after a garden that they felt connected to, that they could enjoy entertaining in which was both informal and inviting.
The clients had already commissioned the planters, and our job was to create the planting design to fill them. We suggested to paint the fence darker before work began, as this would help to push the fence back visually and also helps to enhance the plants if they’re against a dark back-drop.
This look has been created by having a mix of shrubs, herbaceous, grasses and a few new small trees to help blur the neighbours view and add some vertical height to the garden.
For the trees, we’ve gone for Show Stoppers - Acer griseum’s to give that beautiful peeling bark through the winter months plus that fiery foliage come autumn. Such a beautifully shaped tree and a perfect addition for a smaller garden. Amelanchier lamarckii is planted for the view outside the kitchen window. Offering dappled shade to the planting over the summer, blossom in spring and those bright red leaves in the autumn.
The planting chosen is contemporary and modern with some structure with grasses adding a softness and shimmery veil throughout. All planting reflects the aspect, which moves from a shady spot into a very sunny aspect.
Grasses link throughout the planting, Molinia, Calamagrostis, Hakonechloa. Stipa gigantea adds a strong structural element and focal point too. There are evergreens to hold the structure throughout the year and colour will continue all the way through to late October, early November.
