Garden to visit
Marie and Tony Newton have created a theatrical garden where colours intensify as temperatures dip
The Four Seasons garden in Walsall is a showcase of vibrant autumn colour. Here’s how to get the look
Wandering among these towering bamboos and colourful Japanese maples it would be easy to think you were in a hidden corner of East Asia. Instead, the riotous mix of architectural foliage and exotic jungle-style planting is a testament to the skill and eye for detail of Marie and Tony Newton, who have created their unique Four Seasons Garden on a quarter-of-an-acre plot in Walsall in the West Midlands.
The couple, now retired, have combined evergreen and deciduous trees, shrubs and perennials to dramatic effect across the different sections of their award-winning garden, including the Pagoda Garden shown here, which positively glows as autumn takes hold.
Marie shares some tips on how to create your own Asianinspired garden.
How did your Pagoda Garden
come about? Our south-facing back garden comprises three main areas – the upper, middle and lower sections. The Pagoda Garden is part of the middle section, which was originally dominated by 16 old apple and pear trees, none of which bore tasty fruit! Because they were occupying prime positions, we decided to remove them, roots and all.
We wanted to try something different to create height and structure. We’d both worked overseas, in Central America and India, so were inspired by exotic plants. Back in Britain we fell in love with the acers and azaleas we saw at Exbury Gardens in Hampshire. So, the overall feel of the middle garden is one of tropical planting. We had a visitor from Indonesia who said it reminded him of home! ➤