Janice Cripps | Beautiful Gardens by design
 A textural gardenContrasting textures of pink sandstone, smooth cedar, setts and camomile |  Architectural foliage and soft grasses add movement in the garden |
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 The sunny dining area sits amid scented herbs |  Planting pockets of camomile soften the paving and smell wonderful underfoot |
 Fronds of feather reed grass sway gently in the breeze |  Metal sculpture injects the owner's personality into the garden |
 And the shiny metal surfaces add another dimension |  Contrasting textures close up |
 Daisy-like flowers of camomile in summer |
Before photos
Textural garden
The owners of this garden, art and design professionals, gave me an open brief and were willing to consider different ideas and suggestions. They liked natural materials, scented plants and different textures; the only constraint was to retain the existing silver birch trees which they had recently planted.
I decided to set the garden out on the diagonal to make it look larger than it was and to encourage the eye around the space rather than take it straight to the boundaries.
I don’t like to use too many materials in a confined area but I think the combination of rough textured split setts, warm cedar decking and smooth pink sandstone works well together to create an interesting harmonious surface.
The smell of the cedar on a warm day is delightful as is the camomile planted in a chequerboard pattern within the paving.
Interesting foliage, different textures and the movement of grasses and tall perennials also stimulate the senses and
create interest.
Although the original idea was not to use the garden to display my client’s artworks, I think they look great and add to the individuality to the overall scheme.