Garden Tour: A Family’s Sociable Outdoor Space With a Living Wall
Mediterranean-style planting, a lush living wall and two tempting terraces make this garden a winner
Garden designer Simon Orchard is used to transforming clients’ green spaces. When it came to his own outdoor plot, he says, “It wasn’t hugely different really – it’s just that the client in this instance was my wife!”
This beautiful garden behind Simon’s 1930s house in Hampshire, completed earlier this year, is testament to his skills. It needed a radical makeover in the aftermath of building works. “We did a kitchen extension that basically added a 3m x 3m box onto the back of our house,” he explains. “In typical fashion, the works left the garden trashed and the terraced area partly dug up.”
Now, with two terraces on which to relax and dine, a living wall, a lawn and flowerbeds, Simon’s created a serene family retreat that’s easy to maintain and versatile while still being green and lovely.
This beautiful garden behind Simon’s 1930s house in Hampshire, completed earlier this year, is testament to his skills. It needed a radical makeover in the aftermath of building works. “We did a kitchen extension that basically added a 3m x 3m box onto the back of our house,” he explains. “In typical fashion, the works left the garden trashed and the terraced area partly dug up.”
Now, with two terraces on which to relax and dine, a living wall, a lawn and flowerbeds, Simon’s created a serene family retreat that’s easy to maintain and versatile while still being green and lovely.
Here’s what the garden looked like mid-transformation.
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The new terrace by the house features grey porcelain tiles for a chic, modern look, with steps leading down to the grass.
The verdant lawn was grown from scratch – it’s just three months old in these photos. “The builders left their materials all over the lawn, then, when the landscapers built the terrace, they compacted the grass,” Simon says. “We levelled and gently graded it, and put seed down.”
The verdant lawn was grown from scratch – it’s just three months old in these photos. “The builders left their materials all over the lawn, then, when the landscapers built the terrace, they compacted the grass,” Simon says. “We levelled and gently graded it, and put seed down.”
The step risers are painted anthracite grey, which contrasts with the paler paving, but matches other details, including the window frames. “It’s the first time I’ve done this,” Simon says. “I’ve always wanted to, but never had the bottle to do it with a client, so I thought I’d try it out on my own garden. I’m over the moon with it; it ties the house and garden together.”
Florence Grey porcelain paving, London Stone.
Florence Grey porcelain paving, London Stone.
The custom-designed fence helps to create a striking, modern look in this area of the garden. Simon explains that he alternated one wide plank with two slim ones all the way up to give it more visual interest.
People often forget what a difference fences can make. “If you can work them into the design, it looks quite contemporary, rather than just something you want to hide away with plants,” he says.
The fence has been painted anthracite to match the bifold doors and step risers.
People often forget what a difference fences can make. “If you can work them into the design, it looks quite contemporary, rather than just something you want to hide away with plants,” he says.
The fence has been painted anthracite to match the bifold doors and step risers.
The luscious living wall adds soft greenery that really brings the terrace to life. “Often, the problem with patios and terraces is it’s quite hard landscaping,” Simon says. “Yes, you can have potted plants, but a living wall really changes how the space works.
“As they turn from the side of the house, round the corner, people stop dead in their tracks. They look at the wall and say, ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting that!’
“Then, when you’re inside, you’re looking out onto it, too. It looks nice from the house as well as outside.”
“As they turn from the side of the house, round the corner, people stop dead in their tracks. They look at the wall and say, ‘Wow, I wasn’t expecting that!’
“Then, when you’re inside, you’re looking out onto it, too. It looks nice from the house as well as outside.”
“The plants here are all ones that can handle semi-shade,” Simon says. “The garden is east-facing, so it gets the morning sun, and then loses it at about 11 o’clock. You’ve got to be very careful to pick the right plants.”
The living wall will require a little maintenance. “Some plants will grow more aggressively than others, and you don’t want them to take over and swamp out other ones,” he says. “So the grasses might trail down and cover things in trays below. Don’t be afraid to cut off the odd leaf or trailing stem to keep it looking good. Go out with a cup of tea and gently shape it.
“With my living walls, I always try to put in some kind of pattern,” he continues. “Here, I picked plants that would complement and contrast with each other nicely, so you can see the diagonal pattern. I planted in drifts rather than just dotting them around, which would look a little disordered and a bit of mess I think.”
The living wall is planted with: Asplenium scolopendrium; Carex oshimensis ‘Everest’; Carex oshimensis ‘Everillo’; Dryopteris erythrosora; Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’; Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’; Lamium maculatum ‘Beacon Silver’; Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’; Pachysandra terminalis; Polystichum setiferum, and Polystichum polyblepharum.
The living wall will require a little maintenance. “Some plants will grow more aggressively than others, and you don’t want them to take over and swamp out other ones,” he says. “So the grasses might trail down and cover things in trays below. Don’t be afraid to cut off the odd leaf or trailing stem to keep it looking good. Go out with a cup of tea and gently shape it.
“With my living walls, I always try to put in some kind of pattern,” he continues. “Here, I picked plants that would complement and contrast with each other nicely, so you can see the diagonal pattern. I planted in drifts rather than just dotting them around, which would look a little disordered and a bit of mess I think.”
The living wall is planted with: Asplenium scolopendrium; Carex oshimensis ‘Everest’; Carex oshimensis ‘Everillo’; Dryopteris erythrosora; Fatsia japonica ‘Spider’s Web’; Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’; Lamium maculatum ‘Beacon Silver’; Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’; Pachysandra terminalis; Polystichum setiferum, and Polystichum polyblepharum.
Simon designed the simple but effective log bench himself. “It’s made from tubular box-frame steel. I had the bits sent to me, including all the corner pieces: it’s like big boy Meccano!” he says. “You slot it all together and tighten it up with an Allen key. Everybody could make one of these.
“It has an iroko hardwood top, which was left over from another client project. But you could use treated timber from your local builder’s merchant or scaffold planks; it could be anything,” he continues. “It has that industrial look and the steel will rust and turn reddy brown, which is very popular.”
It’s versatile, too. “Rather than having something built-in, you can move the bench, and it has the secondary purpose of a log store, though I wanted to fill it for aesthetics.”
“It has an iroko hardwood top, which was left over from another client project. But you could use treated timber from your local builder’s merchant or scaffold planks; it could be anything,” he continues. “It has that industrial look and the steel will rust and turn reddy brown, which is very popular.”
It’s versatile, too. “Rather than having something built-in, you can move the bench, and it has the secondary purpose of a log store, though I wanted to fill it for aesthetics.”
In terms of planting, Pittosporum ‘Golf Ball’ shrubs flank the steps. “There’s a bit of symmetry going on here,” Simon says. “You can keep them tightly clipped and they have a small evergreen leaf, so you can add year-round structure.
“The taller, spiky purple plant is Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’,” he continues. “This keeps shape and structure and visual interest year-round – it’s quite an architectural look.”
The space to the right of the bifold doors is used for barbecuing or playing ping-pong.
“The taller, spiky purple plant is Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’,” he continues. “This keeps shape and structure and visual interest year-round – it’s quite an architectural look.”
The space to the right of the bifold doors is used for barbecuing or playing ping-pong.
The decked seating area is fairly close to the house and perfect for lunch with friends or simply relaxing with a good book and a coffee. “It has a pull-out canopy, which is a godsend in sunny weather,” Simon says.
“The timber deck was there when we moved into the house. It’s actually covering an underground air raid shelter,” he says. “I discovered the entrance while widening the beds. Digging away, I suddenly hit something hard, prised it with my fork, and a concrete slab disappeared and fell into the entrance. I had no idea the shelter was there.”
Simon recycled the existing deck. “The timber had ribs on it. A problem with that is you get all the detritus in the grooves and that makes it really slippery. I never advise clients to use ribbed decking,” he says. “There’s a misconception it creates more grip, but it’s the opposite. So I flipped the existing boards over and painted them grey. It also kept the costs down.”
Simon added the aluminium pergola; the canvas canopy came with it.
Rattan furniture set, Kettler.
“The timber deck was there when we moved into the house. It’s actually covering an underground air raid shelter,” he says. “I discovered the entrance while widening the beds. Digging away, I suddenly hit something hard, prised it with my fork, and a concrete slab disappeared and fell into the entrance. I had no idea the shelter was there.”
Simon recycled the existing deck. “The timber had ribs on it. A problem with that is you get all the detritus in the grooves and that makes it really slippery. I never advise clients to use ribbed decking,” he says. “There’s a misconception it creates more grip, but it’s the opposite. So I flipped the existing boards over and painted them grey. It also kept the costs down.”
Simon added the aluminium pergola; the canvas canopy came with it.
Rattan furniture set, Kettler.
“I have two borders – one shady and one sunny. This one is south-west-facing, so it gets the afternoon sun,” Simon says.
“I’ve gone for Mediterranean-style planting. I’ve tried to fit things such as flat Achillea ‘Moonshine’ next to the spiky Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ to get that vertical and horizontal thing working together, which always looks really nice,” he explains. “The blue catmint [Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’] intermingles with the pale green Alchemilla mollis. The silver plant is Artemisia.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite part of Simon’s garden? Would you like a living wall on your patio? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
“I’ve gone for Mediterranean-style planting. I’ve tried to fit things such as flat Achillea ‘Moonshine’ next to the spiky Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ to get that vertical and horizontal thing working together, which always looks really nice,” he explains. “The blue catmint [Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’] intermingles with the pale green Alchemilla mollis. The silver plant is Artemisia.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite part of Simon’s garden? Would you like a living wall on your patio? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? Garden designer Simon Orchard, his wife, and their two young sons
Location Hampshire
Property A 1930s semi-detached house
Garden dimensions 45m x 10m
Designer Simon Orchard of Simon Orchard Garden Design
The original garden was slightly dated, Simon explains, with a terrace on two different levels, neither big enough to be useful. “And it had some very narrow borders that weren’t very good for planting,” he adds.
Entertaining and relaxing were key to the brief. “I have two young boys, so it’s a space for us as a family to spill out onto via the bifold doors, and dine out there or entertain friends,” he says.