ALAIN’S 5 TIPS FOR A GREEN GARDEN

LAYERS

A combination of different hedge heights and clipped forms of various deciduous and evergreen shrubs results in a subtle yet complex backdrop of shimmering green. By blending moments of straight regularity with flowing curves, Alain has created a green frame that is both restful and dynamic.

HIGHLIGHTS

A restricted and harmonious colour palette of blues, pinks, purples and whites used in isolated groups helps accentuate the greenness. Climbers, such as roses and wisteria, also bring a moment of colour, drawing the eye up to the soft greens of the trees that surround the garden.

NATURAL MATERIALS

Stone and wood develop their own green patina of moss and lichen, which also provides the comfortable sense of an old garden. The wooden supports for climbers and wattle edging in the potager help maintain a rustic and relaxed aesthetic.

STRONG GEOMETRY

Bold, clipped hedges and topiary, albeit ones allowed to grow shaggy, provide a clarity of form in this garden. This helps to distinguish shape and provide structure, preventing the scene from blurring into a visual green soup.

EVERGREEN

Although deciduous elements are important and provide good foliage contrast in the spring and summer months, the dark green of Buxus, Osmanthus and Taxus gives year-round interest and forms an enduring skeleton from which the rest of the garden hangs.