Low-Maintenance Garden in Bickley

Overview

This 1970’s property in Bromley had a north facing back garden with beautiful, soaring Scots Pine trees, but barely any lawn to speak of. The limited planting was struggling, except for a huge hedge which was blocking the view of the garden from the conservatory.

The Brief

The brief was to design a simple and easy-to-maintain garden which allowed the owners to potter daily in good weather. They also wanted a space to socialise with friends and relax in the evening with a glass of wine. The design needed to incorporate the relocation of a much loved Art Deco statue.

Design & Process

The original patio stepped down from the house and then up again to the rest of the garden. Not only did this make the space feel smaller it created unnecessary steps. This was easily resolved by creating a deck area adjacent to the house. Being built on a frame, it was adjusted to the height of the internal threshold and extended out to the point that the garden began to rise, so the whole garden is now on one level.

A broad-walk path was added to take you to the newly re-furbished and painted pergola which was battened at the back and paved to make it a more inviting space to sit in the shade.

The pines, soil and aspect didn’t allow for a lawn. We used river pebbles to create a zone which is easy to maintain as the pines and perching pines create a mess.

The owner wanted relatively low maintenance planting to add colour, with lots of foliage and seasonal interest. The garden lacked visual interest at the mid-level so a couple of small trees were introduced.

And as the Pines create rain shade and draw up a lot of moisture we added irrigation and lots of drought-tolerant, shade-loving plants. Colour was added using; perennials like Anemones, Guems and flowering shrubs such as Azaleas and Chinese Quince, plus masses of bulbs.

Testimonial

“Carole produced a design which perfectly fitted my needs after a thorough introductory Q & A session with me. The work was then carried out efficiently both on the landscaping and planting sides and I am already enjoying the new garden.’’

Martin Crooks