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A Lancashire garden created by the whole family

Anew chapter began in the life and style of Peter and Sandra Curl’s garden as their sons turned from boys into men. The family’s changing needs prompted the couple to undertake a full-scale redesign of the three-quarters of an acre plot behind their 1920s bungalow, gradually creating a series of ‘rooms’ in which they could indulge their great passion for plants.

“we moved here in 1976 when our sons were boys,” recalls retired accountant Peter. “we made four 15-yard-square plots for growing vegetables, plus a grassy area for football and space for soft fruit. This lasted for the first 10 years, but then we decided to move away from the vegetables, particularly as there were several farms producing them all around us.

“we decided to go into shrubs and

“We decided to move away from vegetables”

flowers, some of which served a practical purpose, providing a boundary between the garden and the railway line from Southport to wigan and Manchester.

“we worked on converting one plot at a time: back then we both worked full time, so it was far from being an instant transformation.”

Fortunately, the couple’s three sons proved themselves to be pretty handy additions to the family labour force, with Michael excelling at stonework, Paul shining at path laying and wood, and David taking care of anything involving mechanical diggers.

Between them, they helped Peter

and Sandra realise a number of projects, including no fewer than three ponds, a rockery, several arbours, a gravel garden, a stone potting shed and various other features, such as a roofless stone structure with a fireplace, designed to look like a derelict bothy.

“None of our boys was keen on

Go all out for roses: Peter and Sandra’s choices for their bed of shrub roses includes Rosa Amber Queen and Invincible. Rows of box balls provide a fitting setting

Bring movement and sound by creating a small waterfall. This one flows into a goldfish pond, via a rockery softened by plants such as Acer palmatum and rodgersia

Achieve a sense of unity by using similar designs for features such as arches and arbours. The Chinese climber Schisandra clads the arbour with attractive leaves and pretty red flowers in spring

Ramp up the rose content by planting the rambler R. ‘Paul’s Himalayan Musk’ over a structure

The hybrid tea shrub rose ‘Ernest H. Morse’ rewards growers with repeat-flowering, fragrant, bright-red blooms