Garden
Which type of lighting should I go for? “A garden can be lit using either mains or low voltage lighting [where a transformer reduces the number of volts needed],” John says. “Mains voltage may be cheaper, but I’d always recommend the use of low voltage on account of safety.” Lee agrees and says, “Low voltage is quick and easy to install, especially if you use a plug and play system. Don’t opt for a cheap one, though, and make sure the transformer is an external one, as these usually come with a simple plug that you can place into an outdoor weatherproof socket.” As for the fittings, Karen recommends ground and mounted lights. “Mounted lights can be installed on trellis, walls and trees to cast light across areas underneath,” she says. “However, most of our lighting is ambient plant lighting using spike spots or ground-fixed spots. “LED strip lighting can illuminate dark gaps beneath stairs, and inset lighting in paving can highlight objects such as pots,” she adds. “Step lighting can be recessed into the side walls, so the tread is well lit for people to climb.”
Love your exterior Our experts recommend using a natural material on the outside of your building, as it will be more sympathetic to your garden. “We use cedar and larch for our garden rooms, as they don’t need chemical treatment, allowing them to be maintenance-free,” John says. “They’re a popular choice, as cedar retains its size, is durable and naturally resistant to fungal and insect damage, and has a long life span. Rachel also favours cedar cladding, and says, “It gives a lovely natural, warm, smooth finish and is timelessly stylish. The wood can last 20 to 25 years without treatment. Alternative cheaper woods can quickly look worn if not treated frequently.” For doors and windows, Rachel recommends aluminium trims. “They give thinner profiles and are far more stable than uPVC, for example, which yellows and weathers quickly.”
Make the most of limestone’s even tone and velvety finish by using it for the flooring of a kitchen-diner as well as a same-level patio. In this property, the honed limestone inside gives way to a brushed version outside. The purity of the tone creates an almost-not-there feel in keeping with the open design of the extension.
Space out For an even lighter look, go for larger gaps between the battens, and try painting the fence in a pale shade. Here, the off-white panels blend in with the furniture and light wood decking, which helps to show off the simple planting around the space. The light streams through the gaps in the fence and bounces around the garden, and at the same time the tree and plants cast shadows on the pale surfaces.
Run across If you’d like to give your garden a contemporary upgrade, horizontal slats are a great choice. There are a few different designs available, including this wide-slatted version with narrow gaps between the timber battens. The horizontal lines visually widen the space and make a pleasing contrast to the tall, slim planting in front.
Go large on leaves Foliage plants will add an architectural and dramatic look to a shady garden. Hostas are a classic shade plant and, with their textured leaves, will provide you with bold, lush foliage. They look wonderful in pots and are available in a range of leaf colours. Slugs tend to favour hostas, but the blue-leaved varieties fare better. Try ‘Sum and Substance’ or ‘Big Daddy’. Fatsia japonica, or Japanese aralia, can grow to be a fairly substantial 4 x 4m in a shady border, but will also be quite happy in a large container. The glossy sheen on its leaves is an important characteristic when choosing plants for shade, because it will help reflect any available light. For good ground cover, try Pachysandra terminalis, which has a dense, creeping habit, forming a thick mat with its glossy green serrated leaves. Asarum europaeum is also a good, low-growing evergreen, with dark green, heart-shaped leaves. Both these plants work well along the edges of borders and paths. For ground cover with flowers, try Cornus canadensis, with its striking white flowers followed by bright red berries.
Add an aroma Scented plants and flowering shrubs that do well in the shade include the sweetly scented flowers and lustrous evergreen leaves of the Sarcococca or sweet box. There are some lovely varieties, including ‘Purple Stem’, and, if grown by a door, the smell is intoxicating. Kerria japonica has bright yellow flowers in the spring on a slender thicket of stems and will thrive in shade. In fact, Kerria is best kept away from the sun, as the rays can bleach the flowers. Tellima grandiflora, with its scented flowers, is an invaluable plant for dry shade. The scalloped leaves are evergreen and, from late spring to midsummer, they send up tall spires of dainty, whitish/lime-green flowers. If your soil is acidic, then camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas will be happy in the shade, as long as the soil is moist and is kept that way – especially during the summer months.
Opt for zingy foliage Astilbes come in many different varieties and make really good plants for brightening up shady areas in a border. They’re relatively trouble-free, as long as they’re planted in a moist, well-drained soil. These lovely plants attract butterflies, are resistant to deer and rabbits, and have a long flowering season. Astilbes rise gracefully, with their fern-like foliage and plumes of flowers, and look best planted in groups. The white variety seen here is planted next to some Dicentra, or bleeding heart, another useful plant for light shade in the garden during spring.
Fill with green feathers Ferns are fantastic plants for creating an abundant, luxurious feel. The male fern, or Dryopteris filix-mas, will cope with dry shade, which means it will survive under a tree. For colour, look for the smaller Athyrium niponicum var. pictum, or painted lady fern, which has grey-green fronds tinged silver and purple. Other varieties that can cope with deep shade are Matteuccia struthiopteris and Asplenium scolopendrium.
If the sitting area is back left of the garden.... Sail away If you want some flexible shade in your tiny plot, a garden sail is the way to go. These pieces of canvas can be attached to any high hooks, branches or posts to shade you when the sun’s at its hottest. When it gets cooler, you can simply take it down – or move it to another position in the garden.
Head to the edge The easiest way to create a shady spot is to push seating right up against the wall or fence that gets the least sun. Tucking it into a leafy border is even better, as the plants will help to form a natural canopy. This bench is ideal, as there’s enough room for two or three people. The overhanging branches of the shrub behind cast dappled light over the area, filtering harsh rays.
Loft balcony
Encourage reflection Even if space is limited in your garden, there are still plenty of ways you can bring in water. Rather than installing a feature on the floor, use vertical space instead. This mirrored waterfall panel has been tucked into the raised beds that surround a seating area. It’s the ideal spot for enjoying the gentle trickle of water, and the mirrored surface helps to bounce light around.
Fences - All of our experts are clear that you should choose pressure-treated or tanalised softwood, or good-quality hardwood. “Tanalised timber has been treated with Tanalith, a wood preservative,” Kate Gould explains. “The tanalisation process can leave slightly odd, bright-green stains on the wood, but these will fade over time,” she says.
This is a parallel version of the same sort of idea. Here, a floating wooden bench is mixed with white painted render for the visible parts of the raised beds. Note how the simple trick of varying the height of the rendered beds creates interest in this compact square garden.
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