About The Exchange Erith
Inspired by local heritage and The Exchange’s craft ethos, the garden features hand-made brick paths, a greenhouse modelled on a travelling library van and corrugated iron walls, with thoughtful planting that responds to the varied conditions across the site.
The dry garden at the front is loosely inspired by the Mediterranean, with a planting scheme that recalls the beauty of the Greek islands, as well as the garrigues of southern France and fynbos of South Africa. Plants include Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), Dorycnium hirsutum, Cistus x argenteus ‘Silver Pink’, the California poppy, Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’, Cerinthe major ‘Purparescens’ and culinary dill.
The fern courtyard is a small shady and serene retreat. The planting, featuring several species of fern and other shade-lovers, including rust-tinged Dryopteris erythrosora and purple-leaved violets, Viola labradorica, form a series of subtly textural tapestries.
The woodland garden has a mature sycamore as its focal point, dividing the space into shady and sunny areas. The beds are connected by herringbone patterned paths inspired by the interior’s parquet flooring, with handmade bricks developed by Local Works Studio and made by the local community, using reclaimed materials from the building works and locally sourced clay. The backdrop of reclaimed corrugated metal fencing recalls Erith’s industrial past and makes Sarah’s painterly planting scheme sing.
The palette here is a romantic mix of perennials like red feather clover (Trifolium rubens) and asters, grasses, bulbs and roses (notably the colour-changing Rosa x odorata ‘Mutabilis’) and grasses. These combinations are anchored by the silver-leaved Elaeagnus ‘Quicksilver’ and evergreen Osmanthus x burkwoodii.
The south of the building opens out onto a brick and gravel terrace shaded by two mulberry trees. Before these come into leaf, a succession of colourful spring bulbs (Tulipa sylvestris and snowdrops among others) and woodland perennials unfolds, before becoming a quieter green carpet in summer.
Website:
https://www.theexchangeerith.com
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