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About 28 Ferndene Road
The front and rear gardens redesign project started in 1998 with aspirations to be eco-friendly, consider habitats, water use and run-offs. Included were some ‘must have’ principles in the hard landscaping, and a desire to make a garden that was good for all wildlife (including us!) If possible I wanted a no-step access from street to back of garden, to recycle as much as possible of the material that was already in the garden into our new design, and to use some of the existing well established shrubs.
The rear garden runs 30m back from the house and widens to 18m at the far end. The garden is sloped, rising up from the house by about 4m over three levels. The borrowed views of near and distant trees, looking up the garden, frame the sky, adding greatly to the detail of our own garden.
The planting has the feel of a coastal garden, with a strong hint of Kiwiana. Planting starts in large pots on the terrace across the back of the house, a long established Yew pruned to a huge ball is at one side of the next level from which rises a sloping bank of grasses, perennials and shrubs, inset with a water feature. On the other half of this level is a rising curved 2.5m high rock wall topped with Lavenders and an Elaeagnus hedge.
On the top level the garden is divided width-wise into two, with another larger water feature on the West side. Holly hedges are down this side, and a mostly native hedgerow right across across the rear of the garden. The largest tree in the garden is up here, a contorted Willow with an ornamental Heptacodium miconioides to one side. The back area has raised beds for vegetable growing and soft fruit, in front of the studio/summer house. This quite separate area is sheltered and mostly enclosed by a trellis fence smothered with an Akebia quinata and clematis. A broad bed of strong, vibrantly coloured perennial planting is in front of it.
This very secluded area catches the late sun and is where we spend a lot of summer evenings observing pollinators, butterflies, birds, stag beetles and bats – depending on the season.
Views of London over Ruskin Park from the front garden.
Home-made teas include teas (herbal and builders), coffee, cordial and water, with a selection of home-made cakes and bakes.
Website:
https://www.instagram.com/dsw_garden
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