About 51 Tweedmouth Road
The secret garden nestled in the East End of London is owned by a gardener of Mixed Punjabi Indian and UK origin and combines an eclectic blend of formal Islamic garden design aesthetics with subtropical planting. Much of the planting ideas are also drawn from the owners journeys to South Asia working in the film industry…expect a pinch of visual drama.
The central theme is an Islamic garden with an angular structure of raised beds and canal style pond bejewelled with koi carp. The gardens planting is however a heady cocktail of pan-Asian origin planting with other sub-tropical and tropical species added. Sri Lankan Plantain (this year with small fruit) and a Chinese Black Mulberry tree (a cutting from a 400 year old specimen in Hampstead) tower above as you step out of the back door. The deep blue of the garden walling is washed over by the multiple shades of green foliage from cascading jasmine, Japanese Loquat yucca and various palms. These are highlighted by incandescent red and hot orange cannas (commonly used in India) and other exotic flowers. The sound of running water soothes the mind, while a locally sourced, reclaimed Edwardian fireplace provides a little added warmth and is a popular focus in evenings. The garden is designed to have a little magic and there are hidden surprises.
The owner is this year experimenting with collecting and planting vegetables and tubers from nearby Asia stores on Green Street which has already yielded some strange and wide-leaf summer foliage.
The garden was shown some years ago on a BBC 2 programme on Islamic style gardens in the UK.
Given its tropical planting the garden reaches its zenith in August.
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