Gardens evolve over time. Seasons change and each year brings something new. Having the opportunity to observe and assist these transformations over a period of time is one of the greatest pleasures of our work at Jane Jones Landscapes. This is doubly pronounced when a new owner takes over a JJL garden.
JJL had spent six years creating and maintaining a beautiful, traditional garden in Central Park Road. When the house was sold the new owners came to JJL with a fresh brief: they wanted space to entertain outdoors, something artistic, and just a little bit different.
From its first seed to the final product, this project was exciting. It required our team to forget everything we thought about the garden we had known for a number of years, to start anew and to bring a singular perspective to the space. It was the type of creative challenge we thrive on.
We started in the front garden with a vision of adding colour, texture and that artistic flair to match the style of the garden’s new owners, one of whom is an artist. We introduced a series of large pots, each with a slightly different mixture of plants. Succulents hang down the side of one, while poppies cosy up to cacti in another. In a central, raised flowerbed we surrounded aloes with a box hedge, and nestled tall Poppies in between the two – a novel combination that looks incredible in spring.
The indoor kitchen looks straight onto a short corridor between the house and the southern fence, there wasn’t much room to work with but the space needed something. After a bit of experimentation, the client jumped on board our idea for a vertical garden. In a wrought-iron frame, we planted a variety of aloe plants, succulents and even orchids in terracotta pots. The colour from the plants climbing up and above the fence adds just exactly the interest the client was looking for.
The clients love to entertain outdoors and were looking for a dynamic space to connect the garden to the indoor living area. A wrought-iron fire pit offers a space for family and friends to gather around in summer or the cooler months. The outdoor kitchen means there’s no need for the hosts to leave the party.
It’s the details of this space that give it its charm. Timber clad flowerbeds line the fence, filled with an assortment of magnolias teddy bears, succulents, gardenias and annuals. A rusted metal lattice stands out alongside a cloud tree. The finishing touch comes from a fire engine red bench that pops against the leafy green foliage behind it.
