Amateur Gardening – 29 June 2019

50 AmAteur GArDeNING 29 JUNE 2019

Inspired by the Birmingham Botanic Gardens and Kew, Jacqueline Tame’s

Japanese-styled garden has become her sanctuary, as Sue Bradley discovers

A

‘sancTuary’ is how

Jacqueline Tame describes

the Japanese-inspired garden

that sits behind her bungalow

in Derbyshire’s Hope Valley.

Her small yet colourful outside space

combines practicality with beauty, as a

paved surface ensures mud is not

brought into her home. nevertheless,

there’s plenty of interest, with a variety

of plants, ornaments and structural

evergreens to catch the eye.

The heart of the garden is a pond, the

origins of which date back to the time

when Jacqueline and her late husband

steve removed a conifer from their plot.

The hole that was left provided

the couple with a head start for their

desired water feature, although a fair

bit of excavation was still needed to

complete it. a small fountain fed by

an electric pump brings the sound of

gently splashing water to the garden

and helps to ensure there’s plenty of

oxygen for two goldfish.

after the pond was in place, steve

used his carpentry skills to create a small

hump-backed bridge, which stands out

with its red handrails and black base. His

handiwork can also be seen in the

Dig a pond and enjoy the variety of wildlife that will be

drawn to it. A profusion of forget-me-nots softens the

stony edges and ramps up the spring colour

Ideas for gorgeous gardens

Get lookthe

A Japanese-themed garden

“Gardening has

always been a big

part of my life”

Grow Camellia japonica

for long-lasting and

colourful flowers with

an Asian feel. Make

sure the soil is neutral

or has an acid pH

Photographs by Howard Walker