Year-round Enchanting City Garden: Expert Designer Suggestions for Seasonal Allure
Ready to create a year-round wow-factor garden? That's what designer Stefano Marinaz took on when asked to revamp fellow Londoner Alister Thorpe's west London plot.
You see, Alister's gardening game was strong, but a pro’s touch was needed to make his space truly sing. And that's where Stefano stepped in, bringing his A-game to transform this corner plot into a visually stunning, year-round beauty.
The brief? A garden boasting a woodland feel with an immersive understorey planting scheme. But Stefano had a few more tricks up his sleeve to make this a garden worth talking about year-round. Here's what he did:
First off, he said goodbye to the struggling lawn and crafted a winding, meandering path, softening the space while adding intrigue as it rolled and twisted its way through the garden.
He also got strategic with plant choices, leading the eye from one stunning vignette to the next, curving corners with multi-stemmed trees and shrubs. Stefano wisely grabbed the opportunity to mix in some of the pre-existing trees he found, like a magnificent magnolia, an amelanchier, and a styrax japonicus. But he didn't stop there; he peppered in more multi-stemmed beauties, all with long periods of interest and standout looks to really steal the show in their respective seasons.
To ensure year-round interest, the garden was planted in layers, starting with tons of bulbs—cyclamen, Iris reticulata, eranthis, and camassias, among others. Above this sat a matrix of mostly evergreen grasses and grass-like plants for added naturalistic beauty and texture. Then, the perennials and other plants were let loose to peek through the sea of grasses like the cherry on top.
Of course, a garden this unique wouldn't be complete without some real showstoppers. Case in point: Cardiocrinum giganteum, which towers over its neighbors with lush green leaves even before blooming. Then comes the pungent Sauromatum venosum, followed by various cobra lilies and even lady's slipper orchids. Self-seeders, particularly Lunaria annua 'Chedglow' and Valeriana montana, are encouraged to add their own flair over time.
And let's not forget the climbing stars, like Lapageria rosea and Stauntonia latifolia, which share a wall and offer two different seasons of interest in minimal space.
Now, Alister is eagerly awaiting the final fruits of this labor, but even if it takes a couple of years to really come to life, he's already enjoyed enhanced connection with the garden. "Because of the year-round interest, I'm out there almost every day tending to it," he says. "What I love most is observing the incremental changes. While I'm always looking for attractive vignettes as a photographer, the garden is teaching me how to create them."
So, there you have it—a step-by-step guide to crafting a year-round garden that's both stunning and full of personality, thanks to the magic of Stefano Marinaz.
For more gardening inspiration, don't forget to check out nurseries.org.uk and stefanomarinaz.com. Happy gardening, folks! 🌱🥬🌷
Pro Tips
- To create a year-round interest garden:
- Choose plants with varying heights and textures.
- Select plants that perform well in different seasons for continuous color and form.
- Establish focal points such as sculptures or striking plant groupings.
- Incorporate evergreens and plants with winter interest.
- Encourage self-seeders and choose climbing plants to make the most of limited space.
Suggested Plant List for Year-Round Interest Garden
- Early Spring: Dwarf narcissi (jonquils, 'February Gold,' 'Peeping Tom'), blue hyacinths
- Late Spring: Tulips, Alliums, irises, white valerian (Centranthus ruber ‘Albus’)
- Early to Mid Summer: Foxtail lilies (Eremurus), phlomis russeliana, rambling roses, hollyhocks, agapanthus, salvias, phlox
- Late Summer to Autumn: Dahlias (pink, purple, white shades), violet daisies (Aster amellus ‘King George’), shrubs and climbers with autumn foliage like Cotinus coggygria ‘Royal Purple,’ Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus henryana), Crimson Glory Vine (Vitis coignetiae)
- Winter: Evergreen structural plants like clipped hornbeam columns, box hedges, perennial seedheads
- To create a year-round garden with continuous interest, select plants that perform well in varying seasons for ongoing color and form, such as dwarf narcissi for early spring, tulips and alliums for late spring, and dahlias for late summer to autumn.
- Incorporate evergreens and plants with winter interest, like clipped hornbeam columns and box hedges, to maintain visual appeal in colder months.
- Establish focal points in the garden by strategically placing striking plant groupings or sculptures to catch the eye.
- Encourage self-seeders and choose climbing plants to make the most of limited space, like Lapageria rosea and Stauntonia latifolia, which share a wall and offer seasonal interest in minimal space.
