Front Garden

The front garden has sandy loam soil and faces southwest. It is sunny, but exposed to very strong prevailing winds. The existing grass was neglected and difficult to maintain as the lawnmower either had to be carried through the house or wheeled round the other block of cottages. The sunny, windy situation, sandy soil and surrounding hedge roots make the garden dry and watering is difficult as there is no outside tap in the front garden.

The first task was to strip the existing grass from the site. It was during this process that large clumps of old-fashioned pinks were found growing amongst the long grass. These had obviously originally been planted in borders that had been neglected and eventually overgrown, but the pinks were still thriving. These clumps were painstakingly removed and saved for future use, after disentangling the grass roots from the clumps.

The soil was then dug over and weed roots removed. The beds were marked out and edged with salvaged Victorian rope tiles. The path around the central bed was then lined with thick polythene and topped with shingle. Large quantities of rotted horse manure were then added to the beds, in order to help retain moisture in the soil.

Mainly drought-resistant, low growing plants were chosen for the site, as detailed in the plan above. Spring colour is provided by cream daffodils and blue muscari, whilst annuals such as cosmos, candytuft and alyssum fill the gaps between plants whilst they mature, as well as self-seeding opium poppies and foxgloves.

For more information on gardening in dry conditions, why not try these books by Beth Chatto:

The Dry Garden

Beth Chatto's Gravel Garden

Plant List

Shrubs: Lavatera 'Rosea', Hebe 'White Gem', Rosmarinus officinalis 'Miss Jessop's Upright', Santolina chamaecyparissus, Cistus 'Alan Fradd', Cistus 'Sunset' (right), Convolvulus cneorum, Lavendula stoechas, Syringa microphylla, Hebe 'Autumn Glory', Rosa 'Gertrude Jekyll' (above left)

Perennials: Paeonia officinalis 'Rubra Plena', Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Lychnis coronaria, Stachys byzantica, Geranium 'Johnson's Blue' (left), Iris unguilicularis