Garden Tour: A Stunning Tropical Garden Before and After
A plain and not-very-private back garden is now a lush and secluded retreat thanks to some imaginative planting
Cheryl F
17 July 2017
Houzz Contributor. I'm a London-based journalist with years of experience writing for the UK's top interiors titles. I love shopping for quirky accessories, have a passion for rummaging through vintage stores and I'm ever-hopeful of finding that elusive perfect paint shade.
Houzz Contributor. I'm a London-based journalist with years of experience writing... More
‘In leafy Hertfordshire I don’t often get asked for exotic, jungly planting, so it was a real pleasure to work from quite a different plant palette,’ says Fiona Green of Green Tree Garden Design, who transformed this now-verdant back garden.
With a balmy, holiday retreat feel to it, the space is proof that ordinary, moderate-sized gardens don’t have to follow the herd when it comes to garden design.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
With a balmy, holiday retreat feel to it, the space is proof that ordinary, moderate-sized gardens don’t have to follow the herd when it comes to garden design.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Garden at a Glance
Who lives here? A professional man
Location Hertfordshire
Garden size 44 sq m
Property A Victorian terrace
Designer Fiona Green of Green Tree Garden Design
Photos by Richard Brown
Who lives here? A professional man
Location Hertfordshire
Garden size 44 sq m
Property A Victorian terrace
Designer Fiona Green of Green Tree Garden Design
Photos by Richard Brown
“Before the transformation began, the garden was fairly uninteresting,” says Fiona. “Laid to lawn, with nothing really in it.”
Fiona was actually brought on board after the owner had made a start on the renovation. “The garden was a bit of a bombsite – the owner, Malcolm, had started constructing a brick path through the garden, and had brought in lots of soil to create raised beds along either side of it,” she says. “But he was stuck for ideas on where to go next and how to achieve the vision that he had in his head, which is where I was able to help.”
Transforming the space became a team effort. “Malcolm did much of the hard landscaping, including the path, the beds and the small patio at the rear, with input from me, and I did all the planting,” says Fiona.
Transforming the space became a team effort. “Malcolm did much of the hard landscaping, including the path, the beds and the small patio at the rear, with input from me, and I did all the planting,” says Fiona.
Exotic, jungly planting was the order of the day. “We wanted the emphasis to be on leaf texture and luxurious foliage, not flowers,” says Fiona.
The plant to the right with fan-shaped, spiky leaves is Trachycarpus fortunei, also known as a Chinese windmill palm. The lush fern, Dryopteris affinis, adds a British woodland element to the mix.
Need help with your outside space? Find garden designers and landscape architects in your area.
The plant to the right with fan-shaped, spiky leaves is Trachycarpus fortunei, also known as a Chinese windmill palm. The lush fern, Dryopteris affinis, adds a British woodland element to the mix.
Need help with your outside space? Find garden designers and landscape architects in your area.
Another priority for Fiona’s client was privacy, and this was achieved with some clever evergreen planting. And while the plants aren’t any higher than the existing boundary fences, the result is very much a sense of getting away from it all. “Malcom has a very busy job and wanted his garden to be a real haven, somewhere he could relax,” says Fiona. “It’s a very narrow space and it was overlooked by the houses on both sides, and while he got on very well with his neighbours, he didn’t necessarily want to see them when he was in the garden.”
No lawnmower is required on Sunday mornings in this garden. The original lawn went, as Malcolm didn’t want any grass or formal planting. His preference was for a softer style of design, rather than hard edges and straight lines.
The decision to go for a tropical planting scheme was a result of Malcolm’s travels. “He had spent time living and working in the Middle East and Africa, which I think had a great influence on him,” says Fiona. “He was very clear that he wanted an overall ‘green’ planting style with plenty of focus on contrasting leaf textures rather than flowers.”
The secluded seating area at the back of the garden gets sun in the morning. “This area is a real haven. It’s secluded and tranquil and the perfect place to sit with a book or the paper and a drink,” says Green.
Malcolm actually put up the diamond lattice trellis. It helps frame the seating area and also provides a striking contrast to all the lush greenery.
Discover more ways to add interest to your garden
Discover more ways to add interest to your garden
The path is made of reclaimed brick. The red hue contrasts beautifully with the evergreen planting, and the pairing of these two elements gives the garden a Victorian palm-house feel.
See more gorgeous ideas for garden paths
See more gorgeous ideas for garden paths
Though it’s still relatively rare for her to get requests for tropical-style gardens like this one, Fiona says planting preferences are changing. “Most of my clients still want a mix of all-year-round interest, with plenty of flowers, but structural planting is becoming popular and I often use it as the backbone to softer planting schemes.”
One of the things Fiona really enjoyed about this project was working with different plants, as well as using stalwarts like the big-leaved, shade-loving Fatsia japonica and the perennial grass Panicum virgatum.
Most of the planting in the garden is new, the exception being the Dicksonia antarctica – an evergreen tree fern, seen here in the pot. “It’s one of three that Malcolm already had,” says Fiona. “I put the other two alongside the path at the back of the garden by the patio where there is plenty of shade. This one gets lots of sun, but seems to cope OK.”
A watering system on a timer was installed to help keep the planting irrigated and to cut down on the time needed to tend the garden.
A few challenges did have to be met to complete the garden.
“The soil needed quite a lot of manure adding to it to aid fertility and water retention,” says Fiona. “And sourcing good-sized palms, particularly the Butia capitata (jelly palm), which is from South America, took a while, too.”
“The soil needed quite a lot of manure adding to it to aid fertility and water retention,” says Fiona. “And sourcing good-sized palms, particularly the Butia capitata (jelly palm), which is from South America, took a while, too.”
This garden is brilliant proof that you can take an ordinary outdoor space and turn it into something exotic. “I really love the finished garden,” says Fiona. “I had a cup of tea with Malcolm a couple of times, sitting at the patio at the back, and you could barely make out the neighbouring houses. In this space you really feel like you are somewhere tropical and faraway.”
Rocky borders add to the raw and natural feel.
Tell us…
Have you gone tropical in your garden? Share your photos and experiences in the Comments section.
Tell us…
Have you gone tropical in your garden? Share your photos and experiences in the Comments section.
Related Stories
Gardening
How Do I Create a Drought-tolerant Garden?
By Kate Burt
As summers heat up, plants that need less water are increasingly desirable. Luckily, there are lots of beautiful options
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
5 Inspiring Before and After Garden Transformations
Check out what a difference designers have made to these once dull plots, visually expanding spaces and creating privacy
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
How to Disguise Rubbish and Recycling Bins Outside Your Home
Need to hide unsightly bins in your garden or driveway? Take a look at these clever ideas for inspiration
Full Story
Garden Tours
Garden Tour: A Bare Roof Terrace Becomes a Pretty, Sociable Space
By Kate Burt
A retired couple got help transforming their large rooftop into a gorgeous, welcoming, multi-functional retreat
Full Story
Garden Planning
Can I Have a Lawn-free Garden That’s Kind to the Environment?
Try these tips to help you plan a garden without grass that’s still leafy and eco-friendly
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
7 Things People Don’t Tell You About Designing a Garden
Uncover some of the more surprising elements of planning a garden redesign
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
9 Ways to Create a More Sustainable Garden
Simple, effective ideas for reducing your environmental footprint and creating a beautiful garden
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
18 Soul-soothing Green Roofs
By Kate Burt
Whether you choose sedum, wildflowers, or a mix, a living roof can be a beautiful and biodiverse addition to your home
Full Story
Garden Inspiration
9 Ways to Enjoy Colour in Your Garden All Year Round
By Kate Burt
However your garden grows, you can add colour with hardscaping, furniture and accessories
Full Story
Garden Planning
How to Identify Your Garden Design Style
Before starting an outdoor renovation, take the time to determine which garden style suits your taste and site
Full Story
Hi Queenie I think it’s Pheasant berry which can be a bit invasive if allowed to seed around but is a good architectural shrub. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leycesteria_formosa
Thank you Julian
The euphorbia looks like Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii to me. Euphorbia mellifera is a gorgeous shrub, the flowers smell of honey, but would be too big for this garden as it can grow 2.5m in every direction! Wulfenii is the one with large green ‘flowers’ in spring.