Project Shelly

A garden design, build and plant project in Tiptree, Essex. Built in early April 2024, this garden is set to mature over the summer. The new porcelain patio, adjusted garden levels, sunken seating, arches and decorative stone areas all provide a strong backdrop to the soft landscaping of lawn and planting.

The design brief for this garden design, landscaping and planting was to achieve a sunny aspect with options for seating. This was to be a blue-white landscaping planting scheme and there needed to be multiple levels with a mixture of materials.

The hard landscaping featured an existing patio which needed better steps from the conservatory and new porcelain tiles. The existing fencing and pergola were painted. New brickwork for ground level management, a new lawn and stepping stones with aggregate were also added. A trio of new arches defined the journey from patio to lawn. The sunken seating area with raised planters is perfect for sunset drinks.

Our brief for the planting was a blue-white theme in a contemporary style to deliver a neat format. The block planting with bold leaf structures and subtle colour provides plenty to look at, with a UK hardy nod to tropical climates. Planting was in 3 main categories:

1. Sunny spots - Paeonia lactiflora Shirley Temple, Dianella cool vista, Nepeta faassenii alba, Stachys byzantina big ears, Gaura lindheimeri cool breeze, Drimys aromatica, Iris flight of butterflies, Euphorbia characias ‘Silver Swan’, Choisya white dazzler, Agapanthus Ever White, Iris Immortality.

2. Semi shade spots - Liriope muscari big blue, Hosta blue mouse ears, Japanese painted fern, Pachysandra termanalis, Pittosporum tobira nanum, Hosta blue angel, Carex Oshimensis Everest, Hebe garden beauty blue, Dryopteris the king.

3. Structure - Wedgewood blue lilac, Ceanothus, Fatsia japonica, Hibiscus Syriacus, Fargesia murieliae ‘Winter Black’, Griselinia littoralis, chamaerops humilis, Nerium Oleander, Fargesia murielae moontears.