Synopsis
My tiny back garden is all about layers - layers of views, texture, plants, light and shade. A large part of the time this garden is viewed from the kitchen. So it has to look good year round. Plants grow, flower, die back. I have used movable screens on my pergola to enhance and hide differing areas of the garden at different times. Plants such as the Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster actually do the same job. Summer/Autumn/Winter they are an ever moving sculptural screen providing another layer.
The garden had to more practical things too - work for all the family (including a cat and dog), be inviting, allow me to trial new plants, welcome wildlife, give privacy and provide areas to sit and relax. As it is south facing a big problem was shading to the seating area and kitchen, so the design needed to address this too. For me, essential elements for a small garden include a secondary seating area away from the house (ie a reason to go into the garden) subtle lighting and water. But the plants are really the star of the show, so there is no lawn, just areas of plants suited to the hot, dry or shady conditions, giving colour, texture and movement year round, intersected by a meandering stone path. The pergola on the house is a framework for a large leaved Vitis cognetiae (vine) which gives shade in summer and in the autumn has the most amazing colour. The water feature has handmade tiles in the same colour as my kitchen splashback to link the inside and outside spaces. We open the bifold doors right back in the summer so that patio and kitchen feel like one space and we can hear the water splashing whilst we eat.
The green wall was installed to clothe the wall of my neighbour's extension. It is a delight! Not only does it look interesting year round but it attracts lots of bees and butterflies and makes me feel enclosed by nature. It is maintained regularly and there is an irrigation system, both essential to keeping it looking good.
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