NATURAL FRAMING

Entering a garden under a bower of foliage, its abundance setting the scene for whatever planting features there might be beyond, is particularly pleasing. Ranged over a gate, it can turn even the simplest of entrances into something more substantial. Where privacy is an issue, you can achieve a degree of seclusion by growing an evergreen hedge, such as yew, so the path to your door can be glimpsed only via the gateway. On brick gate piers you could grow something quite substantial, such as a climbing hydrangea, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris (above, right), which is self-clinging. Although slow to establish, it will be quite happy in a shady area, producing lacy white flowers among heart-shaped glossy leaves. If choosing a climbing rose for a frequently used archway, opt for one that is relatively thornless, such as Rosa ‘Veilchenblau’ or ‘A Shropshire Lad’ so you don’t snag your clothes as you pass by.