STYLISHLY SIMPLE BE INSPIRED BY THIS LAIDBACK GARDEN THAT’S EASY TO KEEP BUT HAS A LUXE FEEL
WANT A LAID-BACK GARDEN THAT’S EASY TO KEEP AND LOOKS LUXE? TAKE IDEAS FROM THIS DESIGNER PLOT
ANGIE BARKER MOVED TO HER SUBURBAN HOME IN WIGAN, LANCASHIRE IN 2006. WHEN SHE ARRIVED, THE GARDEN COULDN’T REALLY BE DESCRIBED AS A “GARDEN”, AS APART FROM BEING KNEEDEEP IN WEEDS THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE AT ALL – NO SHAPE, NO BORDERS.
WITHIN DAYS OF MOVING IN, ANGIE BEGAN TO TACKLE THE GARDEN. SHE DIDN’T JUST WANT A LAWN AND BEDS LIKE MOST SUBURBAN GARDENS OF THIS SMALL SIZE, SHE WANTED THE WOW FACTOR TOO.
“I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED GARDENING. I HAD MY PREVIOUS GARDEN FOR AROUND 17 YEARS BEFORE WE MOVED HERE, BUT MY GARDENING SKILLS HAVE IMPROVED AND DEVELOPED GREATLY SINCE QUALIFYING AS A GARDEN DESIGNER TEN YEARS AGO.” SO ANGIE’S NEW QUALIFICATIONS WERE PUT TO FULL USE WHEN SHE TOOK ON THIS BARREN PLOT. “THE MAIN CHALLENGE WAS THE
LACK OF PRIVACY – WE WERE OVERLOOKED BY SO MANY HOUSES.” SO SHE SET ABOUT DESIGNING AND PLANNING HER GARDEN TO GIVE HER THE PRIVACY SHE DESIRED. “THE TRICK WAS TO CREATE PRIVACY WITHOUT ANNOYING THE NEIGHBOURS
– THIS WASN’T EASY,” SHE SAYS.
IN MANY WAYS THE LACK OF GARDEN WAS A POSITIVE THING FOR GARDEN DESIGNER ANGIE, AS SHE COULD SIT DOWN AND PLAN IT FROM SCRATCH. SO THE INITIAL PLANTING WAS CHOSEN TO HELP WITH THE PRIVACY ISSUES, INCLUDING BAMBOOS, >>
BAY AND PHOTINIA. “EVERGREENS CAN BE PURCHASED AS MATURE, LARGE PLANTS FOR INSTANT IMPACT, WHICH REALLY HELPED,” ANGIE EXPLAINS.
NOW, TEN YEARS ON, THE GARDEN IS FULL OF TEXTURE. THERE’S A WOODEN DECKED WALKWAY AND SEATING AREA, AND A LOT OF STONE, GRAVEL AND PEBBLES.
MOST OF THE PRIVACY PLANTING LIES ALONG THE FENCE EDGES BUT THERE ARE BORDERS FILLED WITH COTTAGE GARDEN FLOWERING PLANTS, SUCH AS FOXGLOVES, AQUILEGIA AND DAHLIAS. THERE ARE TWO SHAPELY LAWNS AND PATHWAYS RUNNING BETWEEN THE QUITE DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE GARDEN. “I LOVE POTTERING IN MY GARDEN AND I LOVE SITTING IN IT TOO – OFTEN AT 5.30AM WITH A CUP OF TEA, AS THIS IS WHEN I START WORK IN THE SUMMER DUE TO THE VOLUME OF WORK I HAVE,” ANGIE SAYS. “I ALSO LOVE HAVING FAMILY AND FRIENDS ROUND TO SIT ON THE DECK.” AND NOW ANGIE TAKES PART IN THE NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME. “I OPEN MY GARDEN ON THE LAST SUNDAY IN JUNE AND YOU HEAR SUCH LOVELY COMMENTS FROM PEOPLE WHO LIKE THE GARDEN, IT MAKES ME FEEL VERY PROUD.” W&H
“I love having family and friends round to sit on the deck”