It was decided to keep the design as simple as possible, in so far as the space was quite small and the garden would be the first thing that any visitor to the house would see. I didn’t want the design to be too complex visually.
The original hard landscaping (paved area, walls) are to be kept in place, as it was deemed the most suitable use of the space. The planting area was previously filled with a conifer hedge and a juniper bush that had both outgrown there space.
Although the garden is situated next to a fairly busy road and the need for hedging as a barrier against traffic noise was discussed, it was felt that in such a small space a hedge would make the garden too dark, and would leave little space for any other planting.
The specimen tree will afford some privacy and is much lighter visually than the previous conifer hedge. The tree will also be underplanted with long lasting, structural perennials and some bulbs to provide interest in the lean winter months.
What do you do with a small space?
