2019-07-01_Country_Homes_Interiors

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CH&IlovesÉ

salvage d

materials

Allsortsofmaterialsusuallyseen

asrubbishcanbeusedtocreate

textureandinterestoutdoors.The

onlylimitis yourimagination...

• Choose materials with patina: old
  terracotta or pottery, rusty metal,
  shells, driftwood or empty bottles.


• Use redundant containers as
  planters: old airbricks or terracotta
  pipes for succulents; large olive oil
  cans filled with herbs.


• Create patterns or simple images
  on blank walls with pieces of
  metal, pebbles or bits of stone.


• Fill a metal bowl with pretty
  broken china; string a coil of
  metal with holed pebbles, or
  attach pieces of coloured glass
  andhangit froma tree.
  
  
  • Old tools look striking tied to a
    simple chicken-wire fence or gate.
  
  
  
  


• Use old wooden stepladders, or
  an old wooden shelving unit on a
  wall, to display pots of succulents
  or small bulbs at eye level.


• Use repetition: bigger groups of
  similar things are always more
  effective than just one or two.

redundant,Jeanbeganherownnursery,specialisingininsect-

attractingwildflowersandplants.‘Theraisedbedsoutsidethe

backdoorareremnantsofthenurserythatI filledwithrubblysoil

whenI stoppedselling.I usethemforthingsthatneedgood

drainageanddon’tlikethestickyacidclaywehaveelsewhere.’

Silver-andgrey-leavedplantsthrivehere,asdoesthe

intoxicatinglyfragrantDaphnebholua‘JacquelinePostill’.

About 15 yearsago,JeanandStevestartedtoleavesome

areasofthelawnuncuttoencouragewildlife.Thesebuzzwith

activityinJulyasbees,hoverfliesandbutterfliesfeastonthe

knapweedandcommonhogweednowflourishingintheresulting

meadow.Fromthehouse,thelonggrassandwildflowersstand

outagainsta dark,gentlyundulating,wovenhazel hedge that

echoestheformoftheSouthDownsbeyond.

InfluencedbyIvanHicks’GardeninMindinHampshire,and

KeithWiley,formerheadgardenerattheGardenHouseinDevon,

Jeanlikestoclearthelowerstemsandbranchesofshrubsand

treestoemphasiseshapesortolifttheircanopies.Black-stemmed

bambooPhyllostachysnigraandgoldenP. vivax‘Aureocaulis’have

lowersideshootsremoved,revealingsmooth,gleamingculms.

Jean’sfavouritegardenis SarahRaven’satPerchHillinEast

Sussex:‘I lovethewaysheusescolourandcansurpriseyouwith

a brightpinkseat,orgreenflowers,ora fantasticdisplayofgourds

inthegreenhouse.It’ssoimaginativeanda visitalwaysinspiresme

togohomeandreviewmyowngardenwithfreshenthusiasm.’

FiveOaksCottageis notshortofimaginativetouches,too,

like the gates and fences made by Steve, using vintage garden

Rustyoldtools,like
spannersand
wrenches,geta new
leaseoflifemade
into decorative gates