After constructing a brand new farmhouse-style dwelling with Rod Hannah Design, the homeowners of this Mornington Peninsula property went to Ashley James looking for a complementary cottage-style backyard.
They got here to the correct place. Ashley specialises in creating ‘wildly romantic’ gardens that obtain a densely planted British-style look.
‘They draw inspiration from conventional cottage gardens, the Arts and Crafts motion, and naturalistic planting types,’ says Ashley. ‘The result’s a layered, barely untamed look that feels plentiful and vigorous.’
Within the case of this backyard, the shoppers had been fearful that the Purple Hill surroundings (chilly winters, windy situations, sizzling dry summers) may pose points. Ashley explains, ‘My shoppers had been on tank water and anxious about whether or not a lush, romantic backyard might work.’
In the long run, the best problem of this venture changed into its biggest triumph, leading to a various plant palette of Mexican, South American, and Asian vegetation, which nonetheless obtain a distinctly British look.
‘I exploit these vegetation typically, as they’re accustomed to excessive warmth however may also stand up to frosty winters, making them good for making a backyard that’s each plentiful and resilient,’ he says.
Crops together with Salvia hybrida ‘Mystic Spires Blue’, Agastache mexicana ‘Perpetually Summer time Berry’, purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis), and Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karvinskianus) come nearly proper as much as the home, creating the looks of a pure meadow.
Scale is vital in reaching this look, guaranteeing the planting enhances the structure, reasonably than overwhelming it.
‘I like to make use of softer, layered plantings close to the home to assist blur the transition between constructing and backyard, whereas nonetheless permitting the structure to stay the hero,’ says Ashley.
‘Virtually talking, you additionally want to consider airflow, entry and upkeep. Crops shouldn’t be positioned so densely that they entice moisture in opposition to the home, and it’s vital to depart house for home windows, pathways and normal entry.
‘I additionally fastidiously think about mature plant sizes to make sure the backyard will nonetheless sit comfortably with the house a few years into the long run.’
The wildly romantic aesthetic is owed to the layered planting that feels plentiful, however nonetheless intentional. ‘
I often begin with the structural parts of the backyard similar to small timber, shrubs and evergreen types that present the spine of the planting,’ says Ashley. ‘From there, I layer in softer perennials and grasses, permitting them to weave by way of the house and create motion and seasonal curiosity.’
‘The bottom line is density and repetition. By planting generously and repeating sure varieties all through the backyard, the planting begins to really feel immersive and cohesive reasonably than busy.
‘I additionally like to permit vegetation to softly mingle and spill into each other, which softens the general look and creates that barely untamed, romantic feeling that my gardens are identified for.’
The backyard rapidly felt established, and two years on, continues to thrive.
