52 AMATEUR GARDENING 13 JULY 2019Shade-loving species, such as epimedium
and geranium, take the baton from spring
bulbs such as bluebell and tulip once
deciduous trees are in leafIdeas for gorgeous gardens
Get lookthe
Be water-wise: collect water in a butt to use
on beds, borders and pots when neededCelebrate historical features: a pair of
yew trees provide the name for Sue
and Andy’s cottageCelebrate spring with the
blossom of a prunus. They
keep their tree at a reasonable
height so that it doesn’t
overshadow the gardenCombine lengths of timber and gravel to
create attractive steps to higher levels.
Use creeping plants such as campanula
and candytuft to soften stone wallsspace for a reasonable harvest of
fresh vegetables, while a small area
at the side of the property enclosed
with low box hedging and split into
four beds by a cross-shaped pathway,
brings a further element to the
overall design.Making the most of water
The underlying soil in Andy and Sue’s
garden is Cotswold brash, which the
couple enrich with compost made in
an attractive beehive-shaped bin,
with other similarly shaped wooden
structures coming in handy for tidying
away equipment.
The couple are also mindful of the
need to save water, collecting all they
can in butts fed by downpipes from
various roofs, and making the most of
green energy, such as the solar panel
used to power the rill that they built after
being inspired by a garden created by
Cleve West at RHS Chelsea Flower
Show. Meanwhile, solar lights bring a
soft glow to the couple’s borders during
the evenings.
All in all, Andy and Sue’s garden is a
space in which they can both work and
relax, with the terrace providing the
perfect spot to enjoy views of the
Toadsmoor Valley.
“It’s quite a sheltered garden – it can
be quite windy around here but we’re in
a little bowl; they really knew what they
were doing when they built this
particular cottage,” says Sue.
“We’ve always wanted our outside
space to have a cottage garden feel in
keeping with our home.”