9 Tannsfield Drive

About 9 Tannsfield Drive

A member of the Hardy Plant Society once described this garden as “A large garden in a small space”.

The garden has evolved over 4 decades and can now be said to realise the owners’ aim of encouraging the visitor to ‘wander, discover, relax and enjoy’. By taking the narrow paths, each of which divides, thereby continually offering a choice of direction, the visitor will be able to find several different routes around the garden where they can come across the many features the garden has to offer.

There are five seating areas from where the visitor can take in views of the garden and enjoy the tranquil atmosphere created by the ever-present sound of ‘trickling’ water. The dense planting throughout, together with the water features, stone statues, metal sculptures, wall art and the use of mirrors, ensure there is plenty to enjoy.

For description purposes the plot can be divided into four areas.

The ‘Patio Area’ has a productive area, plants, shrubs and trees all contained in pots along with a seating area. A feature of the productive area is the runner bean arch.There are four paths leading from the ‘Patio Area’, each of which takes the visitor through the ‘Front Area’ flower beds and under a pergola to the ‘Middle Area’ of the garden.

The ‘Front Area’ of the garden contains flower beds and a small garden shed, to the front of which is a gravelled area which includes a water feature.

To the right of the ‘Middle Area’ of the garden there is a “tunnel” which has been created with the use of a Clematis, a Wisteria and a Cotinus. The tunnel is bordered on one side by a planted shaded section which includes a small water feature and on the other side by the ‘central’ flower bed which also includes a water feature. To the left of the ‘Middle Area’ there is a gravel area which is planted with decorative grasses and includes paving stones for ease of access. Two secluded seating areas give views across the garden to the central flower bed and ‘tunnel’. The visitor can access the ‘End Area’ of the garden via three different paths.

The ‘End Area’ of the garden contains some small changes in ground levels the biggest of which is 2 steps up/down (with a hand rail) between the left hand area and the central area. There are 2 gravel areas, one each side of the garden, which are linked by a path through the central area. Seating is available in the gravel area to the left which also contains a small ‘fernery’. The visitor can cross from one planted gravel area to the other via the path through the central area which also contains seating, flower beds, a small, raised pond, a water feature and stone statues. The gravel area to the right contains a low rockery, fruit trees and plants in pots.