Tel: 07971 9000 64 | toby@theurbangardeners.co.uk
Urban Garden Streatham
Client Brief
The client wanted to create a Vegetable and Herb area at the rear of their Garden to start enjoying the benefits of growing your own. A seating area was wanted to be able to sit, relax and plan next seasons crops! and also enjoy a lovely view back down the garden. The client wished to maximise time on growing rather than having to maintain the whole area, so a low maintenance solution was needed. A division was needed to separate this area from the rest of the garden.
Design & Solution
The area used to be a raised deck that was rarely used so a design and plan were drawn up to transform this area into a engaging, use-able and fun space in which to grow Fruit, Vegetables and Herbs whilst also being an area to sit and relax.
The deck was removed and the area levelled. The design layout was to have four different shaped raised beds to utilise the space with good access around each bed, a corner raised bed, compost area, seating area and water butt to recycle the water from the shed roof.
The deck boards were reused to create the raised beds and the edging around the whole area. A weed suppressant membrane was laid and raised beds positioned and filled with Rolawn Vegetable and Fruit topsoil, a fertile, organic-rich friable topsoil. Pea shingle was laid to the remaining area creating a low maintenance fresh finish and contrasts nicely with the old deck boards. Trellis was erected to support and train the Vine onto, and an old wine barrel was sourced for the water butt to harvest rain water from the shed roof.
Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote' was planted in two curved beds at the front of the area to create a Lavender hedge, chosen for the long flowering period of the aromatic deep violet flowers attracting Bees and Butterflies, and with the amazing long branching stems and delicate clusters of lilac-purple flowers of Verbena bonaiensis , providing a transparent screen into the Vegetable garden. These were under planted with Allium giganteum bulbs creating an impact in early summer. A natural entrance was created through the Lavender hedge by planting two standard clipped Olive trees.