Maison des Terres

An established garden with a strong spring show of Dutch iris, alliums, tulips, lupins and foxgloves, but borders that lost their presence from late summer onwards. Working alongside Chris Jesson, I was asked to carry three beds through late summer, autumn and winter without losing the character already there.

Each bed posed a different challenge: a shady, north-east-facing border where the hedge behind is bare at its base; a raised, north-west-facing bank known as the ‘Tutti frutti’ border, anchored by an orange rose; and a long central border behind a low stone retaining wall, in sun to part shade.

In the shaded hedge border, the key move is a repeating evergreen. Sarcococca confusa screens the bare hedge base through winter, with Actaea, Aconitum and Veronicastrum woven between and toad lilies, astrantias and autumn ferns in front, all chosen to thrive in shade rather than merely tolerate it, and to continue the existing palette of purple, magenta and apricot.

The Tutti frutti bank becomes a late-season jewel bank. Rather than adding more bright orange, the orange rose is supported by burnt orange, coral and copper from Dahlia ‘David Howard’ and Persicaria ‘Orange Field’, balanced by plum, wine red and deep purple from Salvia ‘Amistad’, Cotinus and dark-leaved heucheras.

The central border is looser and cooler. Airy spires, daisies and seedheads of Eryngium, Perovskia, Phlomis, Sanguisorba and Echinacea echo the spring irises, floating above a winter framework of hellebores, evergreen foliage and seedheads, with Guernsey lilies and autumn crocus in the gaps.

Each bed was presented with layered plant lists, flowering calendars and visualisations of how it would look in late summer, winter and spring, including an evergreen-only option.

The plans have been approved, and we are now sourcing plants and bringing the vision to life. I’ll continue to look after the borders with regular planting and maintenance as they establish.