Design Solutions Even the most unlikely side passage can be given a fresh design focus

How can I brighten up this small side passage?

MANY HOUSES have what we dismissively call a ‘side return’ – a narrow access route that leads around the side of the house to the back garden.

These long, narrow passageways offer a huge design challenge: often an awkward shape, deeply shaded and full of weeds, they can seem impossible to care for – a forgotten dumping ground for bikes, wheelie bins and garden clutter.

Limited as the options might seem, there’s no need to write off any part of the garden, no matter how tight the space. Even a lowly side passage can be made much more inviting with a little design attention – even if it’s just giving the area a lick of paint, some new

The jungly effect is enhanced here with the huge, sculptural leaves of and the white-andgreen variegated leaves of hosta ‘Paul’s Glory’. Its paler leaf margins help to brighten up the area. paving and installing a few mirrors or shade-loving plants in troughs.

The trick is to impart lushness with an abundance of greenery and a profusion of flowers. In short, you need to forget about the lack of space and focus on injecting style.

The design here is essentially a stone sett path that meanders through the space, widening out into a small private sitting area in the middle. Using an offset or winding path like this gives you the option to create lush borders of different widths on either side, adding interest with plants, offering tantalising glimpses of your destination and slowing down the route from A to B.

And yes, you can have large plants in a small garden. This narrow shady spot gets very little sunlight, but the addition of just a few, large-leaved, shade-loving plants (see p95) will give it a lush, tropical atmosphere.

Because you only need a few plants in a small space, you might be able to afford bigger specimens. Here I’ve used three good-sized tree ferns (Dicksonia antarctica), which will thrive in this sheltered position out of the wind.

This secluded area offers the perfect hideaway to keep wheelie or compost bins, bikes, hosepipes and other clutter hidden from view.

Letting the path weave from side to side emphasises the width of the space, making it seem wider. The repetition of individual plants, positioned along both sides of the path, draws the eye along it.

Behind the fence Go for hardy exotic plants elegans Hosta sieboldiana

Use plant supports Here some simple plant supports positioned between the fence and the house act as a structure for the climbing plants to scramble up, making the space feel even more intimate. They also offer something to hang lights from. Hide tools and declutter A ‘false’ rear fence has been created to screen the area where the recycling and hosepipes are stored. There’s still space for everything, but now it’s neatly tucked away out of sight but with easy access to the side gate. Play with the path Install lighting Adding lights is one of the best ways to turn an unloved side return into a magical night-time retreat. String lights are perfect for a fiesta feel. Some simple lantern-style lights on the wall are also a great way to dispel the darkness, as are simple candles in jam jars. Create a private sitting area Many of us automatically position seating in a nice sunny spot in the garden, but adding one to an alleyway looks wonderfully quaint and invites you to sit out in the evenings. A sitting area immediately identifies this as a space to be used and enjoyed.