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£4.25 March 2022 Issue No.72

24 FREE PHLOX

PLANTS WORTH

£29.99!

*

SPECIAL

MARCH ISSUE FEBRUARY 16 - MARCH 15

the look for less!

Patio All the help you need to make your garden gorgeous!

Clever ways to show off your pots

50 sensational spring buys under £50

Easy-grow roses to pla right now

PLUS!

How to create these on-trend planting pockets p.20

9 best-ever blooms for patio pots p. igner sofas without the silly prices p.30 Expert tips to repave your patio p.100

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dd height, drama and sweet perfume to your garden with this ‘double flowering’ compact lilac tree!

The stunning, lilac-hued blooms first arrive in May, flush through summer and reach a second crescendo of colour in September – all the while giving off an exquisite sweet fragrance too!

This compact, slow growing beauty is so easy to care for and will look great for many years to come with a minimum of fuss – perfect as a feature in a sunny border or pots on a patio. It is very hardy too – withstanding even the worst of our British weather! Eventual height 1.5m.

EACH

SAVE £15.00!

SAVE

£15

“Double-flowering” – May-Jun AND Aug-Sept!

Beautiful, highly fragrant flowers!

Perfect as a compact feature tree Totally winter hardy and very easy to grow

+Ω8çY8≤Y Äá8O ü+À≤Äçu8† Æ(8áÄFÄçØ 80cm-1 metre Tall Tree in Standard Form

WAS £29.99 NOW £24.99 SAVE £5!

BUY 2 TREES £44.98 SAVE £15.00!

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3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER NOW!

0844 502 0050 Calls cost 5p per min plus your network’s access charge.

Improved Pansy Cool Wave is what the breeder is calling The Best Trailing Pansy Ever! Quite a claim but we think so too!

This amazing large-flowered series keeps flowering all winter long, and well into summer too. Supplied as a pack of 20 Garden Ready plants, ready for planting out.

Dispatched mid February.

ITEM CODE: 400842

JUST £9.99 SAVE £8.00!

Offer available while stocks last. © YouGarden 2022.

www.YouGarden.com/MG172

USE CODE

MG172

or by post using coupon below to: Offer MG172 YouGarden, PO Box 1468, Peterborough, PE1 9XL

BONUS OFFER

Pansy ‘Cool Wave’

TOTALLY WINTER HARDY

PLEASE SEND TO: Offer MG172, YouGarden, PO Box 1468, YOUR PAYMENT DETAILS I enclose a cheque/Postal Order payable to

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YOUR ORDER DETAILS

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Item

Description Single Standard Lilac (Syringa) ‘Palibin’ 510317 0.8-1m Tall Potted Standard Tree SAVE £5.00!

DOUBLE UP OFFER: Buy 2 Lilac Standards 510317 0.8-1m Tall Potted Standard Tree SAVE £15.00!

400842 Trailing Hardy Pansy ‘Cool Wave’ Mix SAVE £8.00!

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DON’T FORGET: Deduct 10% (10p in every £1) if you joined the YouGarden Club: *We’ll automatically renew your membership every year, so you can keep saving AND the price will NEVER go up... GUARANTEED! Full details at YouGarden.com/Club. Orders dispatched within 7 working days. Delivery to UK only and a £6.00 surcharge will apply to the following postcode areas: AB, DD8 11, GY, HS, IM, IV, JE, KA27 28, KW, PA20 80, PH19 50, TR21 25 & ZE. Offer subject to availability and in the event that this offer is oversubscribed, we reserve the right to send suitable substitutes. Images show mature plants. Following Brexit there are a number of changes that prevent us from trading in N. Ireland. For further details please visit www.yougarden.com

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1 If you’re not totally happy with your order, return it within 30 days and we’ll replace o refund in full.

2 Should any hardy plants fail to thrive there we’ll replace free of charge.You just pay th Peter McDermott, Head Gardener

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We think you’d enjoy some of the latest products and selected offers by post from other trusted retailers, charities, finance, travel, FMCG and utility companies. If you do not wish to receive these, please tick here [ ]. Full details at YouGarden.com/Privacy. © YouGarden 2022.

AD CODE

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COV E R P HOTOS : A L A MY, G A P P H OTOS, FU TU RECO N TE N T HU B.CO M . TH I S PAG E: S H U TTE RS TO CK , G A P P H OTOS / V I S I ON S/ FR IE D RI C H ST RAU S S, STOC K FO O D

ou Ce td le oo br r l at iv e in g

Simple pleasu in Marres ch

Golden d affs and g lorious c Borders rocuses bursting b ack into l Drinks o ife n the pat io again

Oooh it’s so good to be back outside in the sunshine again! Y it’s a bit chilly but the sight of my garden springing back int quickly warms my soul. With stems left in situ over the win provide crannies for critters to hole up in, my first spring always to start clearing this thicket of faded brown. It sou like a chore but I love snipping away the old to discover fresh green beneath. I’ve always felt rather in awe of thi mini miracle but, having just watched David Attenboro The Green Planet, I’m newly enthralled. If you haven’ series yet, do (it’s still available on BBC iPlayer) becau the way you appreciate your garden. Seeing a leaf stretched into the sunshi new experience now I’m aware just how jiggly life within the plant cells is energy is snared, and I’m noticing all the savvy tricks my plants are emplo most of their little spot in my plot. Sitting on the patio sofa, cuppa in han about the evolutionary process in my little pocket of the planet too. The all quietly shifted themselves to more suitable nooks. My carefully chos loving plants to fill a dark corner has found its own balance as a dense And I have plenty of plans to adapt the space to suit me better too! Th get your garden gorgeous, without spending a fortune, so do share a evolution in your plot – the details of how to get in touch are just below.

Editor Emma Kendell Share your spring updates!

You can email us at moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk and find us on Facebook Modern Gardens Magazine Instagram @ModernGardens moderngardensmagazine.co.uk

Discover the very best summer blooms to grow in your patio pots, p55

cocktail to Rustle up a rhubsararbriv al, p47 celebrate spring’

Inside this

MONT ...

26

Patio

SPECIAL

Take a peek at Ferne McCann’s new garden.

We LOVE this!

“I love to enjoy a glass of vino with friends in my garden” 26

A bare newbuild space is now bursting with Love Island villa vibes.

“The textures and colours make every inch interesting” 36

Mother’s Day delight

Decorate your table with bottles of floral joy and make a moment to remember.

74

Grow your own birdseed

Sow stunning sunflowers on a windowsill now and give feathered friends a treat.

85

Let’s get growing!

From boring to enchanting with innovative paving and plush plants.

Make your spring return to the garden even more lovely with these easy upcycles.

“My vision was to create a cosy outdoor room”

100

50

A compact courtyard is now a sensational space for living and lounging.

90 114

Repave your patio

ON THE COVER

Put aside a weekend and give your garden a stylish revamp.

I’m in the garden

Outdoor living

Our garden crush

Share the joy of fresh leaves and afternoon tea.

Take a peek at a wildlife haven in Wiltshire.

It’s where we’d like to be this month!

* T& C S AP P LY – J U S T PAY £ 6 .9 9 POS TAG E

62

35

47

Fiona’s patch

Joyous rhubarb blush

Simple projects

Enjoy a pretty garden tipple.

Make this dreamboat drinks perch from a paving slab and an old planter!

Embrace the heritage look with these on-trend styling ideas and buys.

17

58

Stencilled slab table Rise & shine

ON THE COVER

These easy afternoon projects will raise your favourite pots into the spotlight.

48

92

Selina’s garden style Garden barista

Elevate coffee with friends on the patio to a whole new level.

Make concrete eggs to style up spring pots.

P H OTOS : G E TT Y I M AG E S, G A P PH OTOS / N OVA P H OTO G RAP H I K

Garden makeovers

10

24 FREE PHLOX PLANTS WORTH

£29.99!

*

See p110

64 Plant a clematis now for oodles of summer blooms.

Low-cost lovelies to perk up your patio.

81

Easy ideas 6

Earthy pleasures

What to buy, make and do this month.

12

Monochrome jungle

Nail this trend in your outside space.

20

Patio pockets

Get with the latest trend and add lush panels of plants to your patio paving.

42

Pave the way

Wave goodbye to boring patios and get creative with these ingenious paving ideas.

40

Fill your patio pots

ON THE COVER

Plant these container-happy blooms now for a summer packed with heavenly petals.

70 your patio and give 100 Repave your garden a swish new look.

Enjoy the ultimate garden coffee fest.

92

What to do in your garden

Keep your plot looking good this month.

106

78

We love outdoor living

You share your garden highlights.

Dream screens

Get creative with versatile panels that add personality to your plot.

55

Over to

Duo fruit tree

88

Q&A

Got a question about your garden?

We’ve got the answer.

97

Paws & whiskers

Enjoying your garden with your pets.

99

Love your crown imperial

Take a closer look at these jazzy blooms.

112

Bargain blooms

Grow two varieties on one trunk for double the joy.

Save money on bright spring flowers.

Best buys

69

14

Blooming lovely

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Beautiful plants ready to buy now.

30

Designer deals

ON THE COVER

Luxe-look sofas without the silly prices.

31

Bifold doors

Blur the boundary between inside and out with doors that concertina out of the way.

64

Spring steals

ON THE COVER

Update your garden for a song with thes stylish budget buys under £50.

79

Treat your garden to...

The best plants to buy now with cut-out care guides to keep them alive! ON THE COVER

✽ Treat yourself to a yea

g j y with Modern Gardens delivered to your door for just £3.40 a month.

EARTHY DREAM

PLANT

GROW

PICK

MAKE

BUY

EASY IDEAS MAKE LIFE LOVELY

Magic’

Tabletop tea for two

Even the faintest ray of sunshine has us itching to fire up the barbecue, but the risk of a spring shower, and the time that cooking dinner outside entails when the weather’s still pretty chilly, has us reluctantly switching on the oven again instead. A compact tabletop barbecue is a clever compromise – it’s quick and easy to cook on and to clean, and to move if the clouds roll in. Sahara Mini BBQ, £149 dobbies.com

MUSCARI MAGIC Also known as grape hyacinths, sweetly scented

F E ATU R E: F I O N A G A L L E Y P H OTOS : V IS I O N S, F LO RA PR E S S

muscari will put up with almost anything, so you can use it to create the cutest of garden decorations. Buy a ready-to-bloom pot-full from your local garden centre now and repot into whatever little vessels you have handy, lining with moss to keep the compost in if needs be.

After flowering, replant into a border for garden blooms next spring.

HAPPY VIBES As pleasing to look at as the tunes it’ll play! Roberts Revival Petite Bluetooth Portable Radio, £99 johnlewis.com

SUNNY SPINNER Hang this weather-resistant spinner from a branch for mesmerising movement.

Spinner Golden Ray, £12.99 cornwallgardenshop.com

MED STYLE Warm up a drab patio wall with this handsome Brown Cast Iron Parisian Style Single Flowerpot Holder, £12.99 homescapeonline.com

COMFORT ZONE Comfy new garden chairs will tempt you back outdoors to enjoy the spring sunshine. Woven Rope Bistro Set, £695 coxandcox.co.uk

HOPEFUL BREW Start the day with a positive attitude alongside your cuppa! Happy Daze Slogan Mug, £3 wilko.com

Spring is in the air

➣ MARCH 2022

MODERN GARDENS 7

These exotic fruits, also known as Physalis peruviana, originate from South America but are surprisingly hardy and faff-free to grow here.

Sow seeds (£2.49/150 seeds, suttons. co.uk) now in compost, water and leave on a windowsill. They’ll take

around three weeks to germinate and will be ready to eat come September. And their journey from seedlings to tiny, brightyellow flowers to glossy, sweet fruit individually encased in a delicate, papery leaf is a joy to witness.

PH OTO : @ K A R E N_ HAL L E R _CO LO UR

PHOTO : GA P P HOTOS/GARY SMIT H

Cape gooseberries

WHAT TO PLANT NOW!

INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION This month we’re following flower and

colour enthusiast, @karen_haller_colour. She champions the psychological effects that colour has on all aspects of our lives – from the clothes we wear to the flowers we grow – and how important for our wellbeing it is to choose tones that make our hearts sing. Her posts share the joy that colourful flowers bring her, and encourage followers to share their happy hues and thoughts along the way.

GIVE IT A GROW Can’t wait to get growing? This Super Hardy Winter Salad Leaf Mix won’t give a jot about late frosts. £1.95/300 seeds sarahraven.com

SMART eler makes it easy

PERKY POT-UPS ALL RISE If this is the year you finally grow just a few of your own veggies, this good-looking raised bed is just the job. £129.99 dobbies.com

PRETTY & PRACTICAL Is it a watering can or a piece of garden art? We say both! Flora & Fauna Watering Can, £17.95 annabeljames.co.uk

8 MODERN GARDENS MARCH 2022

time to plant herbs and these zesty tterned pots will jolly up the green ves a treat. Emma Bridgewater ttercup Herb Pots, £11.95/3 ray, £9.95) annabeljames.co.uk

Rhubarb & almond cakes

These scrumptiously squidgy cakes balance out the sharpness of rhubarb with sweet ground almonds. Makes 8-10

EASY IDEAS MAKE IT!

A LITTLE OF WHAT YOU FANCY

YOU WILL NEED ✽ 150g self-raising flour, sifted ✽ 1 tsp baking powder ✽ 220g caster sugar ✽ 50g ground almonds ✽ 1 large free-range egg ✽ 120g butter, melted ✽ 350g rhubarb, chopped ✽ 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

WELLY, I NEVER! Leave these cosy, easy-toslip-on wellies by the back door. Ankle Ultralight Boots Ladies Fuchsia, £33.95 backdoorshoes.co.uk

t a e r g a e k a m o s TIP These al d r a t s u c h t i w m r a pudding s e r ved w

PH OTO : S TO C K FO O D

WHAT TO DO 1 Preheat oven to 170°C. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and almonds.

2 Add the egg and butter and mix until smooth, then stir in the chopped rhubarb.

3 Distribute the mix evenly into cupcake cases on a baking tray.

4 Bake for around 20 mins, or until the cakes are golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool for 5-10 mins and dust with icing sugar (if using).

3 ZINGY SPRING SIDE TABLES Add to the colour of spring with a bright new patio add.

PERFECTLY PINK Cocotte End Table, £79 madeindesign. co.uk COLOURFUL CORNFLOWERS Scatter seeds in a sunny spot now and come summer, these beauties will magically appear.

Centaurea cyanus ‘Polka Dot Mixed’, £1.95/500 seeds sarahraven.com

SUNNY SIDE UP Habitat Ipanema 2 Coffee Tables – Yellow, £150 argos.co.uk

(FOLD) UP AND AWAY Guinguette Aqua Metal Folding Garden Table, £43.50 maisonsdumonde.com

➣ MARCH 2022

MODERN GARDENS 9

EASY IDEAS

Quick make!

Concrete eggs

Zhuzh up your pots with spring style.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Needle ✽ 6 large free-range eggs in their eggbox ✽ Small bag of multipurpose concrete or craft concrete: Viva Décor Concrete for Creatives, £11.01 amazon.co.uk ✽ Disposable plastic container and stirrer ✽ Plastic sandwich bag ✽ Fine sandpaper

PH OTO: FLO RA PRE S S

WHAT TO DO 1 Twist the needle against each egg tip to make a hole, then snap off little bits of shell to enlarge it.

Make a smaller hole in the base of each egg.

2 Pour the egg contents out of the larger hole. If you’re struggling, use the needle to break the yolk and make the base hole a little larger to let air in.

3 Place the empty shells into the eggbox while you prepare the concrete, according to the packet instructions, mixing well in a disposable container.

4 Pour the cement into the bag, snip off a corner and pipe to fill the shells. Leave to set.

5 Peel the eggshells ay from the ncrete, and ooth any rough s with sandpaper.

CAST A GLOW The trend for barebulb light fittings has evolved from indoors to out, and this rechargeable table lamp has multiple brightness options so you can create just the ambience you’re after.

Aplo Wireless LED Lamp, £59 worm.co.uk

d e i r d h t i w t c e ff e nest TIP Add to the n e d r a g e h t m o r f stems gathered 3 WELCOMING BIRD BATHS Give garden birds a pleasing place to perch, drink and bathe.

CONSCIOUS CHOICE Recycled Metal Bird Bath with Robin, h l k

RIPPLE EFFECT White Round Concrete Birdbath Heavyweight with Love Birds Decoration, £17.99

LIQUID ASSETS Birdbath with Two Birds, £11.50 charlottes.shopping

10 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

GIN O’CLOCK? These will glam up spring drinks a treat!

Pink Pastel Iridescent Gin Glass, £14/4 wilko.com

CARRY IT OFF Transport drinks and snacks on a tray that’s as lightweight as it is stylish.

Black Bamboo Trays, £35/2 mintandmay.co.uk

FRESH FLOWERS Swish this beauty over even the shabbiest of tables for instant wow. Wildflower Runner, £18 (40 x 180cm) waltonshop.co.uk

own crop of mouthwatering GROW your sweet STRAWBERRIES Easy to grow Need minimum attention Bumper crops for the next 3 years

S

trawberries are the most delicious of all soft fruits and with a careful selection of varieties and little attention, can provide plentiful crops of delicious berries throughout the summer.

What’s more, provided they are planted outdoors by the end of June, you will reap your first harvest in 90 days and a bumper crop (1-2lbs per plant) this summer and for the next 2 years!

Strawberry plants should be spaced 30-40cm (12-16in) apart with a 75-90cm (30-36in) gap between rows.

Send for your FREE catalogue TODAY! FREE ‘Grow Your Own Strawberries’ hand book with your first order of strawberry plants.

Self-watering Towerpots For those eye-catching displays, why not grow them in one of our Self-watering Towerpots? A set comprises of four stacking modules that when locked into each other form a multi-storey container approximately 59cm (23ins) high, holding up to 24 strawberry plants. Each module has its own built in reservoir to ensure the even distribution of water throughout the column.

Code: 211G Price £41.00 (*incl p&p) Rootgrow™ is 100% natural & is the only planting aid fully endorsed by the RHS. Used at the time of planting, it helps plants develop a huge secondary root system.

A 60g pack will treat approximately 12 strawberry plants.

*Please call for p&p charges to the Scottish Highlands and off-shore islands.

Telephone: 01255 830181

Lines open 9:00am - 4:00pm Monday - Friday,

Visit: www.kenmuir.co.uk

Or simply complete and post the coupon.

To: Ken Muir Ltd, Honeypot Farm, Rectory Road, Weeley Heath, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, CO16 9BJ Dept: MG22MA

Ken Muir Strawberry Feed is specially formulated for strawberry plants with all the necessary trace elements for bigger, better quality fruit.

*Code: 2012S Price £8.80 (*incl p&p) Code

Description

£

Vibrant Code: 043

Produces sweet, glossy red berries.

Crop mid June to early July.

£16.50 (Incl p&p)

Cambridge Favourite Code: 001

Deliciously sweet with an excellent flavour. Crop late June to mid July.

£16.50 (Incl p&p)

Symphony Code: 018 Mara des Bois Code: 082 *Towerpot Code: 211G *Strawberry Feed Code: 2012S Rootgrow™ Code: 2016RS

QTY Total

Late Summer variety, very firm, juicy, medium-large sized berries which have £16.50 a very bright-red glossy appearance. (Incl p&p) Crop throughout July.

Perpetual variety outstanding wild £17.90 strawberry flavour.

(Incl p&p) Crop mid August to mid October

Special Offer Purchase the towerpot for just £27.95 per set when you buy 24 strawberry plants. £41.00 when ordered without plants.

Special Offer £5.00 When purchased with any strawberry planter.

A 60g pack will treat approximately 12 strawberry plants.

£3.20 (incl p&p)

Strawberry varieties sold in packs of 12.

Name:________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Telephone:___________________ Postcode:________________ Email Address:________________________________ MG22MA

EASY IDEAS

ADD COMFORT An outdoor rug softens the look and feel of underfoot patio slabs or decking. Black & White Motif Design Circular Reversible Outdoor Rug, £39.99/180cm homescapesonline.com

jungle MONOCHROME

Black and white is a classic combo and as it works a treat with green, it makes a great choice for an outdoor setting. This re-emergence of the trend has maximum impact with minimal effort, combining tribal patterns with pops of green from shapely foliage and leaf prints.

PATTERN PLAY Incorporate monochrome patterns in pots and planters to bring the look together. Mini Monochrome Geometric Planter on Legs, £10.95 mintandmay.co.uk

MIX & MATCH Combine monochrome and full-colour leaf-print cushions.

Palm Cushions, £30/2 freemans.com and Palm Leaves Black Cushion, £27 windsorandwhite.com

F E ATU R E: F I O N A G A L L E Y

ON REFLECTION Garden mirrors are useful for creating light, adding personality and checking you’ve rubbed in your suncream! Elements Black Round Outdoor Mirror, £25 dunelm.com FULL CIRCLE A circular chair looks inviting and softens the straight lines and corners of a table and sofa. String Chair, £35 bmstores.co.uk 12 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

GO LARGE Seek out oversized bulbs to maximise light. Solar Edison Lights, £29.99 gardenesque.com

Trend

alert

COSY UP Utilise blankets and throws for extra comfort as well as warmth. Black and Cream Blanket Throw, £22.95 thenorthernline.co.uk ACCESSORISE WITH SEAGRASS Seagrass accessories work well with this look and are inexpensive and easy to find. Lättad Place Mat, Seagrass, £4 ikea.com

FILL WITH FOLIAGE Choose a mix of leaf shapes. Bree Black Bamboo, £50 and Tam Tree Fern, £40 both patchplants.com

FOLIAGE HIGHLIGHT Planters on a stand or spindles pack a punch and the skinny legs won’t block out any light. Black Planter Spindle Legs, £30 habitat.co.uk

ASHWOOD

NURSERIES • • • •

Hepatic

s

arden Charity Open Days

ASHWOODNURSERIES.COM

Br g

t n up your summer!

Shop boutique designs at affordable prices. available now! @THENOVOGRATZ | AVAILABLE NOW AT NEXT.CO.UK @NEXTOFFICIAL

Blooming lovely IN MARCH Try our pick of the most beautiful plants you can buy now ‘WHITE BEAUTY’ £8.99/2 bareroot plants

These pale cream, lily-like flowers have coppery-red centres, the hue echoed by leaves that are mottled with copper. Perfect for a shady spot that doesn’t dry out.

Height and Spread 30cm. suttons.co.uk

3

DAINTY

dog’s tooth violets ‘OLD ABERDEEN’

£8.99/1L pot Early flowering with boldly mottled leaves, this Erythronium dens-canis has dazzling, purple-pink, swept-back blooms. Add plenty of compost when planting to keep the bulbs moist. Height 25cm Spread 30cm. ashwoodnurseries.com

Add a touch of loveliness

BARRENWORT ‘RED BEAUTY’ £5/9cm pot

We adore this Epimedium grandiflorum not only for its divine flowers and bronzed, heart-shaped foliage, but also for its ability to grow happily in any soil in sun or shade. Few plants are quite so accommodating!

Height 40cm Spread 60cm. edromnurseries. co.uk

14 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

If you want a dog’s tooth violet that will form clumps and spread, this vigorous erythronium is a great choice with nodding, canary-yellow flowers and gorgeous marbled foliage. Height and Spread 35cm. ballyrobertgardens.com

Three plants for fab flowering hedges

9 £2p4o.t9

9 £19m.9pot 13c

FAIRY MAGNOLIA

With upright, bushy growth, this showstopping evergreen hedge suits any well-draining soil in full sun or part shade.

Height 2.5m Spread 2m. thompson-morgan.com

3L

QUINCE

Try ‘Crimson and Gold’ for masses of flowers that adorn bare, prickly branches before leaves appear, followed by edible fruit. Height 1m Spread 1.5m. crocus.co.uk

£7.p9o9t 2L

JUNEBERRY

Amelanchier lamarckii’s dreamy flowers and bronze-coloured leaves are followed by delicious berries, commonly used in gin. Height 10m Spread 6m. hedgesdirect.co.uk

F E ATU R E: C L A R E WA L KE R. PH OTOS : A L A M Y, S H UTT E RS TO CK , G A P PH OTOS

TIME TO FALL IN LOVE!

‘PAGODA’ £7.99/0.5L pot

BEST BUYS

DAFFODIL ‘THALIA’

GIVE IT A TRY

SPRING CELEBRATION

Revel in the return of light and warmth to your garden with this simple yet stunning terracotta pot filled to the brim with a classic collection of spring bulbs. Its understated elegance is the perfect way to gently lift your plot out of the winter gloom and fill you with the pure joy of spring! Dazzling white daffs mingle with layers of tulips and Scilla in adorable pastel-pink shades, epitomising the effortless beauty of spring blooms. For instant results, pop to your local garden centre for ready-potted spring bulbs.

Keep your plants alive! These plants will thrive in multipurpose compost with added grit for good drainage. Pop in a sunny spot and keep them well watered (but not soggy) in early spring.

TULIP ‘SYNAEDA AMOR’

£2-2.50/9cm pot With strong stems topped with large blooms, this is a very reliable tulip in our variable climate.

Height 45cm Spread 10cm. Garden centres

GLORY OF THE SNOW ‘PINK GIANT’

£6.99/9cm pot These slender stems of highly fragrant blooms are one of only a few pure-white Narcissus, making them a spring must-have! Height 40cm Spread 15cm. crocus.co.uk

£2-2.50/9cm pot A delicate beauty, this Scilla dazzles with clusters of blushing-pink blooms, sometimes bright-pink at the edges. Height 15cm Spread 10cm Garden centres

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 15

Award-winning Lavandula angustifolia Hidcote

30 Garden Ready

Lavender plants from ONLY 50p* each... enough for a hedge 10 metres long!

With its outstanding garden performance throughout the summer, Lavender Hidcote is much famed for its dense spikes of highly fragrant, deep violet-purple flowers above silver-grey and aromatic foliage.

UK grown and named after Hidcote Manor in Gloucestershire, it is the best variety for creating an aromatic hedge or for edging borders, paths and driveways.

The flowers are adored by bees and other nectar-loving insects and best of all, it is incredible value at only £14.95 per tray of 30 garden ready plants when you buy two or more. When you think that just one tray is enough for 10 metres of hedging you can appreciate the true value of this award-winning variety.

B Supplied as garden ready plants individually grown in modular trays of 30 plants, measuring approx. 16cm (6in) from root to tip B RHS Award of Garden Merit variety with highly scented flowers and a height and spread of 60 x75cm (24 x 30in) B The best culinary variety for flavouring cakes, biscuits and other desserts B Plant in a dry sunny spot, it works well in patio containers and is often used in gravel type gardens B Drought resistant and fully hardy, it will flower year after year from July to September B Delivered from early June ready for planting out

Special Offer Save £8!

Buy two or more trays for only £14.95* each

that’s 50p* per Lavender plant!

Garden ready Lavender plants from ONLY 50p* each.

UK GROWN

100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE | Order online at woolmans.com/W22LVMG1 Or phone: 0845 658 9137 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm weekends Calls cost 3p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

Your Guarantee of Satisfaction Should any plants arrive in poor condition, we will happily arrange a replacement or refund. We may ask for photos of damaged plants, products or packaging so that we can inform our delivery and nursery partners.

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SIMPLE PROJECT

Make it this weekend!

STENCILLED

slab table Make this dreamboat DRINKS PERCH from an old paving slab and planter!

Patio

SPECIAL

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Leftover thick, stone paving slab, big enough to fit the top of your pot with an overhang, or try a local supplier ✽ Cardboard, craft knife and pencil ✽ Exterior masonry paints: £3/250ml wickes.co.uk, and paintbrushes ✽ Adhesive: No Nonsense Grab Solvent Free White, £1.95 screwfix.com ✽ Around 13m of hemp/polyhemp rope: £7.33 ropewarehouse.co.uk ✽ Tile stencil: from £2.20 thestencil studio.com and masking tape ✽ Old square planter, or try Durdica Plastic Pot (Dia)40cm, £75 diy.com

Isotoma axillaris ‘Blue Star’

£14.4 8

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 17

SIMPLE PROJECT

1

Lay the slab on the cardboard and paint the top face and sides, then leave to dry thoroughly.

4

Fix the stencil in one corner with masking tape, and use a stippling action to apply the paint.

2

Apply a good layer of adhesive around the four sides of the slab. A wiggly line is easiest to apply.

5

Carefully lift the stencil and reposition in another corner, and paint. Repeat in the other two corners and leave to dry.

3

Wind the rope tightly around the sides, pressing it down. Trim the end and apply an extra dab of adhesive to secure.

6

Lay the paving slab face-down and position the planter centrally on top.

Draw around the edge with a pencil.

BESPOKE DESIGN

Can’t quite find the perfect stencil? Then make your own! Draw your design on a piece of paper, or print a design you’ve found online at the correct size. Tape this to a cutting board and lay a stencil sheet (£3.50, hobbycraft.co.uk) over the top, taping that in place too.

Use a craft knife to carefully cut out your design.

Make your own stencil

7

Apply a bead of glue inside the line, fix the top of the pot to the slab, and leave to dry.

18 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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The ties work to pull the pillow in and up the dream of a good night’s sleep so that your head and neck are gently has now become a reality - thanks cradled and supported in softly sprung comfort. As well as having the to a breakthrough invention - the Gx revolutionary internal ties, the pillow Suspension Pillow. All conventional pillows flatten significantly during sleep shell is 100% cotton with our superb hypoallergenic Polycoz filling, and we - becoming less supportive and more uncomfortable as the night progresses. have added a unique integral air vent to The result of this is disturbed and broken help keep you cool through the night. sleep, frustration and the fruitless search As if all these benefits were not enough, for a better pillow. That search is now you can purchase the pillow with our over!

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F EAT U R E: J U L E S B ARTO N - B R EC K. P H OTOS : TH E G A R DE N B U IL D ER S/ G A R D E NB U ILD ER S.CO.U K , A L A MY, F U T UR ECO N T E N TH U B.CO M , S H U TT ER S TO C K , M AR I AN NE M A J E R U S, G A P P H OTOS / J OA N N A KOS SA K/J S S I R A , E M M A K E ND E LL

pockets planting troughs to your patio for a chic new look

20 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Sempervivum calcareum ‘Limelight’

Bring on the sunshine

Sempervivum ‘Green Ice’

EASY IDEAS

W

e’re all about making our modern gardens look gorgeous, without too much effort or outlay, so we’re loving this new trend to create planting pockets in patios. It was a feature in so many flower show gardens last year, and we’re starting to see creative patio planting in plenty of plush, professionally designed plots. From narrow linear stripes to bold in-patio beds, they’ll squeeze into any-sized patio, no matter how compact, the splashes of colour instantly transforming a bland expanse of pavers into something very, very stylish.

Whether you’re laying a new patio or want to add some pretty pockets to your existing layout, we’ve got the easiest ways for you to get the look. Get ready to give your friends and neighbours a hefty dose of patio envy…

Patio

SPECIAL

How to create a planting pocket If you’re planning a new patio:

✽ If you want to create shallow planting

channels then simply plan this into your paving design. When the paving is laid, ensure you clear enough concrete mix that spills into your channel so any excess water can drain into the sub-base. ✽ If you want to create larger, regular beds, it’s a good idea to sink planting troughs into the base. Go for plastic, concrete or galvanised metal planters rather than wood, which will rot. Make sure the planter has drainage holes in the base and sink it so the top is flush with the surface of the paving. Add a layer of crocks (bits of broken pot) before filling with multipurpose compost and your plants.

If you want to add pockets to an existing patio:

✽ The easiest option is to replace a full

#1 CUT A PATIO GROOVE Adding a shallow trench 10-20cm wide along one side or all around your patio is a great way to maximise growing space and style, creating an eye-catching outdoor rug effect.

Sempervivums, also known as houseleeks, are ideal for growing in this plant pocket as they’ll add colour, texture and interest and won’t grow very high. They won’t need much looking after as they’re drought-tolerant too.

And they’re tougher than they look, sailing through a British winter just as long as they don’t sit in water – give them the best drainage by filling your pocket with a mix of one part each of good garden soil (buy topsoil if yours isn’t), multipurpose compost and coarse grit (try RHS Horticultural Potting Grit Handy Pack, £4.50/5kg, homebase.co.uk).

OUR FAVOURITE SEMPERVIVUMS ✽ ‘Atlas’

We love these striking rosettes of bright-green leaves tipped with vibrant red. £9.99/ 3 x 4.5cm pots marshallsgarden.com

✽ ‘Gold Nugget’

This gem changes from lime green in summer to flame orange with winter’s arrival. £16.99/1L pot thompsonmorgan.com

✽ ‘Gwiazda’

Enjoy elegant, dark-red leaves with occasional pink flowers in summer. £2.75/9cm pot farmyardnurseries. co.uk

✽ ‘Sugar Shimmer’

Their pink-tipped, silver leaves are covered in tiny hairs that create a shimmering effect. £8.99/9cm pot marshallsgarden.com

paving slab or a few cobbles or setts with a planting pocket. Simply lift them by carefully chipping away the concrete or grout surround with a chisel and hammer, then lever up with a spade (see page 102 for full instructions). ✽ If you want to create a narrow channel or groove that will run across several paving slabs, you’ll need to lift each paver, then cut them to size. Mark out the required size on each slab using a pencil and use a hammer and breaker chisel to cut a shallow channel down the pencil marking. Split each paver by striking the part you want to cut off with a rubber mallet. Replace them as required with new grouting (see page 104 for more help on cutting and laying pavers). ✽ In the space where the paver, part-paver, cobbles or setts have been removed, dig down into the patio foundations as far as you can go. If you want to grow shallowrooting plants such as succulents or thyme then a minimum depth f 3 5 i fi ✽ If you want to treat pocket as a bed, and blooms that you’d no raised bed or border, to go much deeper to at least 20cm. A conc chisel (Roughneck Concrete Chisel Wit Grip, £10.44) and a club hammer (OX Trade Fibreglass Handle Club Hamme 4lb, £11.79, both from toolstation.com) will h ✽ Fill shallow channe parts multipurpose co grit, to ensure good drainage. Fill deeper channels with multipurpose compost.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 21

➣

FOXTAIL LILY ‘CLEOPATRA’

#2 ZONE A DINING AREA

These flowers look like firework rocket trails in a lovely soft-orange tone. Height 1.2m Spread 30cm. £4.50/1 bareroot

Linear planting pockets are very effective at creating a defined area on a larger patio for a particular purpose. For extensive pockets such as these, choose a filler that requires very little looking after. This creeping thyme is a great easy-grow option, or try the Sedum Ground Cover Mixed collection (Height 10cm Spread 40cm, £15.98/18 module plants, jparkers.co.uk), which includes sunshine-yellow, bright-purple, zingy-white and pinky-red plants that will flower July to September.

sarahraven.com

FOXGLOVE ‘SILVER CUB’

Stunning silver foliage holds stems packed with creamy-white, spotted blooms all summer long. Height 60cm Spread 45cm. £9/3 young plants

hayloft.co.uk

Geranium renardii

#4 SINK A FLOWERBED

If you’re planning a new patio, then why not plan in some large pockets of different sizes and shapes? There’s a big trend right now to ditch the lawn, and these substantial patio pockets will bring all the lushness of a lawned plot to the low-maintenance benefits of a mostly paved garden.

22 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

If your existing patio is made of cobbles or setts, then it’s easy enough to create this effect retrospectively too. However, unlike herbs or succulents that only require shallow planting, to grow bigger plants you’ll need to dig down deep to ensure a sufficient depth of soil.

G A R D EN D ES I G N : CU BE 1 994

#3 DESIGN IRREGULAR BEDS

The complete opposite to a raised bed! You’ll need to ensure a good depth of soil so if you’re not laying a new patio, be prepared to dig down through the sub-base to the soil beneath. The trick to success is to fill your planting pocket with tall blooms that stretch up for maximum contrast, leaving the neat edges of the pavers clear.

EASY IDEAS

ALLIUM ‘GLADIATOR’

TRY THIS!

Prettify the edges of steps with a planting pocket of creeping thyme and Mexican fleabane

Huge, lavender-purple flowers sit atop sturdy, upright stems that grow up to 1.5m high! £18.99/2L pot

crocus.co.uk

#5 LAY LITTLE LAWN STRIPS

Simply stylish

G AR DE N DE S IG N : P HI L L IP PA PRO B E RT

Grass doesn’t need a deep soil base to grow so it’s perfect for filling shallow channels dug into your patio and feels wonderfully soft when heading, barefoot, to your lounger.

Fill the channels with multipurpose topsoil (£4/25L, wickes.co.uk) and lay turf on top, keeping it well-watered while it grows its roots down into its new home. There are some charming, just-as-soft alternatives too that’ll give you the lawn look but with added benefits. ✽ Roman chamomile is a creeping plant with darkgreen, finely divided leaves that have a sweet, apple fragrance when crushed. Sow in May in full and keep plants trimmed to 15c to encourage spreading. £1.25/5,000 seeds justseed.com ✽ Heath pearlwort is oh-sounderfoot and has white seedpods that resemble pearls.

Also known as Irish moss, once it grown to its full height of 10cm there’s no trimming needed. £11.25/ plants victoriananursery.co.uk

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 23

#6 GROW MINI MOUNDS FOR WILDLIFE A little spot in your patio can offer up an invaluable nectar source for bees and other pollinators. Just remove one slab, more if you want to create a patchwork effect.

PERFECT PETITE NECTAR BARS ✽ Mexican fleabane

‘Profusion’ Also known as Erigeron, this loves full sun and will tumble up and over with masses of pretty, pinkywhite, daisy-like flowers from April to November.

Height 30cm Spread 90cm. £4.95/9cm pot sarahraven.com

✽ Sweet alyssum

‘Snowdrift’ These purewhite, super-fragrant flowers will spread up to 50cm.

Give it an all-over haircut once it’s flowered to encourage more blooms. Sow seeds directly into the ground from March to May. Height 15cm Spread 25-50cm. £1.85/1,500 seeds dobbies.com

Th me

✽ Striped bloody cranesbill From the

geranium family and a great little ground-cover plant, this gem has lilac-pink flowers and is happy in full sun or shade.

Height 15cm Spread 10-50cm. £7.99/3 loose root plants jparkers.co.uk

Mexican leabane

plant has tall, elegant stems with profuse amounts of pretty, pale-yellow, pincushion blooms all summer long. Height 80cm Spread 45cm. £14.99/1L pot thompsonmorgan.com

✽ Armeria maritima ‘Splendens’

Commonly known as lady’s cushion or thrift, this little beauty with deep-pink blooms atop slender, naked stems, will form a dense, mounded tuft. Height and Spread 15-25cm. £5.99/0.5L pot ballyrobert gardens.com

24 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

G AR DE N DE S IG N : RA E W I L KI N SO N . S P O N SO R: L I V I N G L A N DSC A PE S

✽ Scabiosa columbaria This dainty

EASY IDEAS

#7 CREATE LENGTH WITH STRIPES

saxifrage

Bring some chic minimalism to a plain porcelain paved patio with a diagonal channel filled with lobelia (£8.99/33 plug plants, jparkers.co.uk).

To cut the pavers, dig them up, mark out the size you want on both sides of the slab with a pencil then fix to a workbench with C clamps.

Cut along the lines with a circular power saw to around 1cm deep. Turn the slab over and repeat, then use a rubber mallet to separate. Replace in the patio with fresh grout, fill the gap with compost then add your plants.

G A RD E N D E S I G N: C H A R LOT T E ROW E

Envisage this garden without these cleverly designed stripes… it would be boring and look far smaller! The inclusion of parallel stripes alternately filled with ground-cover foliage and narrow paver tiles draws the eye to the end of the boundary fence and makes it look far longer than it actually is. To add a strip of planting to a gravel area, simply dig a channel about 20cm wide and 6-7cm deep.

Line with edging to stop the gravel shifting (try EcoGrid Flexible Lawn Edging in Black, L3m x H6cm, £27.95, greenfingers.com) and fill with topsoil. It’s easy to extend the paving into gravel too: remove the right amount of gravel to fit the paver. Fill the space with a mortar mix, level out and then lay the paver.

#8 DEFINE A SEATING AREA

#10 TAKE UP SOME #9 ADD FRAGRANT EDGE PAVERS THYME PANELS Imagine walking across your patio, your steps releasing the wonderfully aromatic scent of creeping thyme. As it’s gently crushed, it creates a cloud of fragrance, quickly bouncing back into shape, ready for the next footstep. Come summertime, its lavender-pink blooms will look pretty too. Create a paving strip gap in a sunny position, filling with a mix of one part sand or grit to two parts multipurpose compost. These plants need space to grow so plant them at least 15cm apart, otherwise they’ll struggle and become thin and straggly. Water if the soil becomes bone dry and trim as necessary to keep in shape.

Not sure that you’re up to lifting pavers from the middle of your patio?

Then this is a super-easy option. Removing pavers from the edge of your patio is a simple job, and a staggered edge will instantly modernise its look.

Once you’ve lifted the pavers and dug out the concrete and sub-base, add some multipurpose compost and fill with blooms and foliage that will spill over and soften the edges. Go for a mix of leaves in different shapes and sizes such as the flat, creeping foliage of bugle contrasted with the wafty, slender blades of millet grass.

Mind-your-ownbusi

PRETTY CREEPING THYMES TO TRY ✽ ‘Lemon’

With a lovely lemon scent, it will produce small, pink flowers in late spring/early summer.

✽ ‘Woolly’

This tiny, 5cm-high plant has hairy, silvery foliage that looks amazing against pale paving.

✽ ‘Pink Chintz’

The clusters of small, pink flowers of this variety are particularly pretty, blooming all summer long.

✽ All thyme plants, £3.50/9cm pot hettysherbs.co.uk

Dark purple bugle

Bugle ‘Burgundy Glow’

BEFORE ready for anity A blank canvylas al injection of st e and person

Bronze an ers, POA, torcpots.com

GARDEN

makeover

“I love to enjoy a glass of vino with friends in my new garden” bursting with comfy sofas, stylish olive trees and LOVE ISLAND VILLA VIBES

26 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

F E ATU R E G A P P H OTOS / K I RS TY M CN E I L O’CO N N O R P HOTOS : G A P P H OTOS G A R D EN D ES I G N : CU B E 19 94 LT D

GARDEN MAKEOVER

SMART IDEAS TO STEAL

THAT’S CLEVER!

POSITION STATEMENT POTS in your borders and resist the urge to fill them with plants!

Star jasmine has been trained up diagonal steel wires

MAKE A BUG HOTEL by fixing a wooden frame to a wall and filling with logs and canes.

RENDER A WALL for a more modern finish.

Thinking of fitting bifold doors? Turn to p31

W

hen Ferne McCann and her daughter Sunday moved into their Essex newbuild in 2019, the model, television personality and presenter couldn’t wait to turn the garden into a space for outdoor living. “When I bought the house, I knew I wanted to design

the garden myself,” Ferne explains. “The house was only completed on the day I got the keys, which meant the garden was left unfinished. I was happy about that though as it meant it was a blank canvas for me to design it the way I wanted it to look – there was only a patio and the rest was just mud!”

Ferne wasted no time, using Pinterest to gather inspiration for her garden design.

“I wanted the space to feel calming and have different sections for sitting with friends, with a Love Island villa vibe,” she explains.

She passed this vision to local garden designers Cube 1994 (cube1994.com).

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 27

➣

INSPIRING PEACE, a simple water feature pours onto large pebbles below, recreating the sounds of a babbling brook next to the daybed.

BEFORE

d interest, there Devoid of coinlog urto an turn heads here was noth

Ferne’s new garden ticks all her boxes!

MY GARDEN PL AN LOCATION Essex THE LOOK Contemporary entertaining space SITE Size 225m2 Faces South Soil Clay

MY BUDGET Rear chillout adult area (glass balustrade, porcelain grey paving, firebowl) £15,000-£20,000 Side area (wooden arches, polished black pebbles & boulders) £2,500£5,000 Front area (Sunday’s play area, lawn, porcelain paving, fencing, daybed, waterblade) £20,000-£25,000 Planting £10,000-£15,000 TOTAL: £47,000-£60,000 HOW LONG IT TOOK Clearance & preparation 2 weeks Hard landscaping 1 week Painting 3 days Planting 2 days TOTAL: 4 weeks

28 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

“I’d heard a lot of people talk about Cube so I got them to come and view the garden,” says Ferne. “I passed them my wish list, which included having different sections for sitting with friends, the daybed (which was important!), the festoon lighting at the back by the hot tub, and a firepit. Cube came back with their design board and it was perfect.”

Tying all these areas together is a monochrome colour palette and oversized, bronze Torc pots. With a colour and texture reminiscent of copper beech tree bark, these statement pots bring glamour and grandeur, creating the feel of a high-end Ibiza club. It tones with the Corten steel firepit and adds warmth to the minimal palette.

ENTERTAINING SPACE

UNINTERRUPTED VIEWS

As the garden wraps around the house, the design was able to fit three seating areas to give a choice of spots to sit and relax in. The main patio houses a generous L-shaped sofa and matching benches, with a table that’s perfect for dining. “I love having friends over for dinner and eating al fresco, and I have strip lighting under the steps, candles and a large gas heater for the colder evenings,” says Ferne. “I recently had an Ascot party in the garden that was amazing.

We had caterers, musicians and a mixologist.”

Sunday’s playhouse, in a matching dark-grey, is also sited here, next to the large glass windows so it can be seen from the house as well as most of the garden.

A second area, in matching porcelain paving, has a more informal vibe with a firepit and festoons strung overhead for a cosy feel. The hot tub is here too, positioned where its occupants can enjoy the view over the neighbouring field. “We use it weekly,” says Ferne. “It’s so nice to lay in the hot tub looking out across the field.” And a daybed, built bespoke using smooth deck boards, provides the ultimate spot for relaxing.

A key point on Ferne’s wish list was to make the most of the fabulous view from the plot. “The main thing I loved about the house was the field and the views,” Ferne says. “My bedroom is the smaller one, but I wanted the room with the Juliet balcony to get the view each morning.”

To ensure the view was uninterrupted, the designers installed a glass balustrade on the field boundary, with mature olive trees at either end to give privacy as well as a Mediterranean vibe. “I see lots of deer grazing in the fields and we even had a peacock in the front garden once!” says Ferne.

To cater for smaller wildlife, there’s a bug hotel and a plethora of insect- and bird-friendly planting filling the flowerbeds. “Lots of birds visit the garden and there are loads of insects in the bug hotel,” she adds. The design even incorporates steps below the wall-mounted bug hotel so it’s easy for Sunday to investigate.

The contemporary, club-feel style hasn’t been compromised by the child and wildlife-friendly approach, and the informal planting helps to tie the modern monochrome palette in with the lush green of the surrounding fields.

GARDEN MAKEOVER

1

1 Luxe Lite Wrinkle Cylinder Planter – Bronze, 40 x 38cm, £124.99 hortology.co.uk 2 Corten Steel Fire Pit 60cm, £75.99 onbuy.com 3 Saskatoon 12 Jet Patio Spa, £3,495 therange.co.uk 4 Blomus Stay Day Bed, £699 utilitydesign.co.uk 5 Olive tree, £159.95/125-150cm tall palmcentre.co.uk

2

Get the look!

5

3 4 SMOOTH CURVES add interest and soften the contemporary, sleek lines of the patio.

Love this sofa but not the price? Turn to p30

Manutti oon Island Sofa, £8,800, gardenhousefurniture.com

OUTDOOR LIFESTYLE

As a parent with such a busy career, Ferne employs a gardener to look after the lawned area and plants. “I would love to have the time to get into gardening but at this stage in my life I struggle to find the time. When I’m out in the garden I’m playing with Sunday or enjoying a glass of vino and dinner with friends,” she says.

The garden is also a real sanctuary for Ferne.

“I sometimes do my morning meditation and yoga in the garden and I love looking across the field of an evening,” she says.

PERGOLA ARCHES transform the side return into an inviting walkway.

The project went without a hitch, and there’s little Ferne would change. “I might get a path added from the patio to the garage as the shaded area gets really muddy during winter and, with a white patio and kitchen floor, I am forever cleaning the mud away!” Ferne admits.

“I love the space, it’s just as I had hoped. There are so many sections to enjoy and I’m having more garden gatherings now lockdown has lifted and the weather has improved. We can chill in the hot tub looking out at the deer in the field, sit around the firepit, and lay on the daybed.”

OLIVE TREES flank the glass balustrade, adding to the Med feel.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 29

BEST BUYS STYLE YOU CAN BANK ON With a piping finish on the thick, padded backrests and water-repellent cushion fabric that feels similar to that used on an indoor sofa, this Stratem sofa looks and feels super chic. The coffee table has a 5mm tempered glass top, said to be five times stronger than traditional glass.

5-Seater Garden Corner Sofa Set, £649 alicesgarden.co.uk

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2

DRESS UP YOUR PATIO FOR LESS This weatherproof Charles Bentley Natural Rattan 4 Piece Lounge Set adds instant impact and can be left outside all year round. £400 wilko.com

We LOVE this!

YOU KNOW IT MAKES CENTS Whatever the shape or size of your garden this modular Pienza 4 Seater Garden Sofa with table and cushions can be quickly transformed into a lounger for two, or two smaller sofas, to suit. £529 beliani.co.uk BAG A BARGAIN Want to make the most of a hot spot on your lawn? This hardwood Bondholmen 2-Seat Sofa with fade-resistant cushions has plastic feet to protect against moist surfaces and it’s only £195! ikea.com

IT’S A STEAL! Handwoven with black rattan and steel, this Venus Sofa Set with glass-top coffee table is perfect for a family lunch or drinks and nibbles with friends. There’s even a shelf for the current issue of Modern Gardens magazine! £380 habitat.co.uk

6

Shop the easy way! Scan here h ll s

5

4

MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK An eye-catching patio centrepiece, this lightweight Rope Wicker Sofa comes with a Polywood Table and two chairs, £524.99 trueshopping.co.uk BECAUSE IT’S WORTH IT With an acacia wood frame and thick, comfy cushions, this 6 Seater Wooden Corner Sofa Set is built to last, with removable legs for easy storage. £550 argos.co.uk

THE PRICE IS RIGHT Light, bright and airy, this Madrid Cane Effect Sofa Set is perfect for opening up smaller patios. With contrasting black powder-coated steel legs and cream cushions and frame, it looks high-end too. £399.99 very.co.uk

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CO M PI L ED BY A N G E LA K E N N Y

POCKET THE DIFFERENCE Put your feet up and make the most of a sunny corner with this Modular 4-Seater Garden Sofa. It has a weather-proof, powdercoated aluminium frame and shower-resistant cushions. £549 johnlewis.com

DESIGNER DEALS

#10 BE

Give your patio a LUXE LOOK without the jaw-dropping price tag

30 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

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BIG DEAL Made from maintenance-free, highly durable and UV-resistant resin with machinewashable cushions and storage table, this Delano Garden Furniture Set is functional, comfortable and stylish. £499 outandout.com

10

Patio

SPECIAL

BEST BUYS

BIFOLD

BLUR THE BOUNDARY between inside and out with fully glazed doors that concertina out of the way

P H OTO : F EL I P E TOZ Z ATO PH OTOG R A PH Y. I DSYS T E MS / B O LTO N CH A LK LI N A RC H IT EC TS

FE AT U R E: J IL L MO RG

A

s more and more of us have bifold doors installed and clever new alternatives appear on the market, these dreamworthy patio additions are becoming more affordable. So if you haven’t invested yet, now’s a great time.

Bifold doors will transform how you view and enjoy every inch of your outdoor space, sitting neatly out of the way when open so you can enjoy uninterrupted views of your garden and easy inside-out living.

They also significantly increase indoor light levels, when open or closed, making your inside space feel far more airy. Most

installations will instantly recoup their cost and make your home more saleable as well as increasing its value. And with a host of designs, configurations, frame materials and finishes to choose from, there’s definitely a set of doors out there to suit your set-up.

WHAT ARE BIFOLD DOORS?

Unlike sliding patio doors, where the panels simply move across to one side and remain, covering part of the opening, bifold doors open concertina-style, folding flush to the side wall when fully open. This creates a single, expansive opening, meaning you can

easily move between your home and garden and enjoy super-relaxed outdoor living.

Bifolds are made up of numerous glazed panels or doors that either hang from or sit on a track. Some tracks sit flush with the floor to create a virtually seamless transition between spaces. Not only does this look amazing, stretching the space and merging inside and out, but it can be hugely practical for those with mobility issues and who require wide openings and one-level access.

Supremely adaptable, besides being fully open or closed, they can be fitted so just a single ‘traffic’ door opens, which is ideal if

FINE LINES

Aluminium door designs tend to have slender frames and a larger glazed area thanks to the light and rigid material, so full-height glass panels without glazing bars give an uninterrupted view. 5-panel SUNFLEX SF55 Aluminium Bifold Doors in Graphite Black finish, W501 x H229cm, £9,300 including installation sunflexuk.co.uk

ve r o g n i r u s a e m s n ctio e s r o o d f o y r a w d n a e t a r TIP Be e p o o t y av e h e r a y e h t s a e d n e p o 110cm wi d e d l o f n e h ew c a p s f o t o l a p u take MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 31

➣

MELLOW TIMBER

With top-hung hardware, these 54mm thick timber panels open effortlessly and glazing options include double and triple glazing. This five-panel design pulls open to one side maximising the full width of the opening and compact patio. Jeld-Wen Canberra Folding Patio Door, W359.4 x H209.4cm, £3,747 diy.com

the weather is less than lovely outside and you don’t want your open-plan kitchen or living area to be blasted with sudden Arctic temperatures.

You can plan for this independent door to sit centrally as well as to one side, so you can align it with your existing kitchen or furniture layout and create an easy flow between areas.

WHAT OPTIONS ARE THERE?

When it comes to external bifold doors, there are essentially four materials to choose from: ✽ Unplasticised Polyvinyl Chloride or uPVC is a low-maintenance, man-made alternative to wooden doors and windows. Relatively cheap to produce, the glazing and door units are extremely durable and need very little upkeep.

All they require is a regular wipe-over with warm soapy water and they look as good as new.

Typically white, it is possible to order coloured uPVC bifolds, but you’ll pay a premium for the privilege. Besides limited finishes and profile styles to choose from, this synthetic material tends to expand in hot weather – as much as two and a half times more than aluminium – which can cause the doors to creak and stick. ✽ Aluminium is incredibly lightweight and strong. Resistant to heat and moisture, aluminium bifolds cope well with changeable climates and need next-to-no attention to keep them looking good. Choose from raw aluminium or powder-coated coloured and textured finishes. Light to move, they work especially well for wider openings where numerous doors can be heavy and cumbersome to move, particularly if double- or triple-glazed.

Aluminium is a poor insulator, though, so check that your product is fitted with a thermal break (an internal plastic barrier) that ensures the cold is kept out and that heat is retained inside.

32 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

SLENDER SIGHT LINES

With an aluminium frame measuring just 99mm wide at the join and available in over 30 different RAL finishes, the Ecoline has no visible screw heads for a sleek finish. Ecoline Bi-Folding Door, £POA solarlux.com

✽ Hardwood designs ooze luxe living and the

individual grain characteristics of this natural material look fabulous. Timber is a great insulator so it’s the best material to choose for thermal efficiency, but it doesn’t cope well with wet and varying weather conditions. The natural colour can silver over time and dirt and grime can quickly take hold, leading to mould and rot developing, eventually weakening the product.

So regularly resealing the wooden frame every two to five years is a must. ✽ Composite or timber-clad aluminium doors are a happy combination of materials.

They usually feature tough aluminium on the outward facing side and a more attractive wood laminate on the inside. With good thermal qualities, and being light and strong enough to accommodate triple glazing, they’re a popular choice. Many styles are available, including American white oak, pale larch and Nordic pine.

WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL FIT?

Bifold doors come in configurations that usually range between two and six door panels. It’s

PH OTO: SOL A RLUX .CO M

Shop the easy way!

Scan here to shop all these bifold doors

possible to have more but the weight and thickness of the folded doors tend to become heavy to support and move. Look for a number in the product description: the first (larger) digit refers to the total number of doors, the second shows how many doors open to the left and the third figure indicates how many doors open to the right. Doors can be fitted to fold in or out, so consider how much free floorspace you have available and whether you want them to take up patio or inside living space. Door frame widths vary depending on the chosen material and this will impact on the view when closed and the total thickness of the doors when folded open.

Aluminium frames tend to be the narrowest so are often best for smaller, compact spaces.

TOP OR BOTTOM HUNG?

There are two different ways to install these folding doors – top or bottom hung (aka bottom rolling). This refers to the positioning of the operating track or hinge and, although some systems also have a secondary guide track, it’s worth knowing how they operate differently.

BEST BUYS

If you’ve got the budget, here’s the next stage on the evolutionary ladder…

OPEN UP BACK WALLS

PH OTO : CO L I N PO O L E. S T Y L I NG : A NN B ROA D

Externally fitted doors make the most of interior floor space and, when fully open, allow uninterrupted views of the garden.

At just 55mm thick, these aluminium doors stack neatly. Six Panel Bi-Fold Doors in Charcoal Grey, £POA everest.co.uk

RECESS FOR ADDED DRAMA

PH OTO: V I VA D I REC T

These bifold doors are set back from the front wall, meaning the folded panels sit neatly inside when they’re open. Made from aluminum, they’re finished in a powdercoated charcoal grey.

For a free quotation, submit your sizes at vivadoors.co.uk Top-hung doors are suspended from a track fitted to the top underside of the opening.

Although less stable and trickier to fit than bottom-rolling designs, top tracks minimise the mechanisms on the ground for a sleek look.

‘Captive rollers’ give the smoothest action.

As the track supports the doors’ weight, it’s crucial that it’s firmly attached to a secure and strong lintel – the timber, concrete or reinforced steel joist (RSJ) that spans the width of the opening. Structural engineers recommend a heavy-duty or rolled steel lintel to minimise the chance of any flex or bending which would prevent the doors from gliding smoothly open.

Bottom-hung doors have their track fixed to the floor. Easy to adjust, they provide a stable and smooth gliding motion. This is particularly important with doors made from heavier materials or with numerous panels. While it is possible for the track to fit flush with your floor, in some cases it can be tricky to do while also ensuring sufficient weather protection – your retailer or a structural engineer should be able to advise you on what’s achievable for your

swish alternatives

SLIDE & TURN DOORS 6-panel Vistaline aluminium slide and turn doors in Graphite Black finish, W622 x H215cm, £16,548 including installation idsystems.co.uk

PIVOT DOORS Vitra Slim Pivot Door, from £1,500/m2 iqglassuk.com

DESCENDING WINDOWS Swiss Descending Window, from £5,000/ m2 iqglassuk.com

installation. It might be that a slight lip ranging from around 12-50mm is needed to seal the door from wind and rain.

HOW BIG?

Getting the correct fit needs to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis – your retailer or a structural engineer will be able to advise you.

Some companies include installation in the product price while others offer self-installation products. If you are a competent DIYer, it’s a doable task but you will need to be meticulous with measurements and make sure that the opening is exactly level and at right angles. You also have the option to call a builder in to do the job – expect to pay from £800.

Bifold doors are normally included in a property’s permitted development rights but if your home is listed or in a conservation area, or if you are creating a brand-new opening in any age home, you will likely need planning permission. So before starting any work or placing an order, do check with your local council – find yours at gov.uk/find-local-council.

PHOTO : C HR I S TAY LO R /I DSYS T E MS / R E PO H O US E ARC HIT ECTS

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These doors are uber-contemporary!

Aluminium with a matt-grey, powdercoated finish, they make a stunning feature when closed and a striking frame for garden views when open. Status 5m Doors, W500 x H210cm, from £5,399 vufold.co.uk

SLIDING DOORS 3-panel SUNFLEX SVG83 sliding door in Anthracite Grey, from £8,280/W398.9 x H255cm sunflexuk.co.uk

SLIDE & STACK DOORS Industrial Style sliding doors 3 panel, all sliding in either direction on a triple track, from £14,136/240 x 270cm maxlight.co.uk MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 33

P HOTO : A L A N WI L L I A M S PH OTOG R AP H Y D ES I G N : M UL ROY A RC H I T EC TS

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Product sold by Techtronic Industries (UK) Limited, company registration: GB 551396338. All rights reserved. For full terms & conditions of sale please visit RyobiTools.co.uk. RYOBI is a Trade Mark of Ryobi Limited, and is used under license.

OUTDOOR LIVING

Fiona’s Spring is in the air and FIONA CUMBERPATCH is looking forward to fresh leaves and afternoon all town garden in Lincolnshire

A

t this time of year, I can sense spring in the air. Some of my early bulbs are in full flower, with plenty of golden daffodils, dusky-pink primroses and the delicate blue beads of grape hyacinths popping up in my borders and containers. But after what seems like an incredibly long winter break when we’ve all had to cope with yet more uncertainty and anxiety, my trowel is twitching. I am desperate to start planting and planning for the promise of summer colour and better times ahead.

I need to be sensible of course. It is too early to rush off to the garden centre to fill a trolley with summer bedding plants, or to embark on

edible leaves mingled with flowers in a lovely mash-up. I’m thinking of teaming together some pots of curly, green pea shoots, vibrant mustard ‘Red Frills’, feathery-leaved mizuna and salad rocket ‘Victoria’. Try chilternseeds. co.uk for a good, interesting selection. I will sprinkle in a small pinch every couple of weeks to ensure a steady supply, which I can add to liven up my salad bowl. These are all suitable for growing on window ledges, in a conservatory or perhaps in a very sheltered spot in the porch outside the back door until frost risks have passed.

I’m so grateful for the containers of bulbs that I planted last autumn. Depending on what’s in full bloom, I’ll move them around to show them off to their best advantage.

Vintage tea chests are an inexpensive way of temporarily elevating the prettiest pots. I found mine for a few pounds on a local selling site.

If the weather is kind on Mother’s Day on March 27, I will use my moveable display as a

Putting spring centre stage!

Make life lovely

A yummy afternoon tea box

P H OTOS : F IO N A CU MB E R PATC H

“ I’ll be livening up my salad bowls with colourful homegrown leaves and herbs” seed sowing for a few more weeks yet. Even if it is tempting to crack open some packets of my favourite cosmos and start them off on my indoor window ledges, I will be patient, because I know that they are best left till mid-April to ensure stronger, healthier plants.

And yet there is something so life-affirming and hopeful about scattering a few seeds and watching their tiny green heads nose through the soil on a daily basis.

To satisfy the urge, I will be sowing some spring salad leaves and herbs. Leaves may not have the wow factor of flowers but there are lots of different colours and textures that can be put together in pots for attractive displays.

I was inspired by the Parsley Box show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, where

backdrop for an al fresco afternoon tea. An easy way to make this an extra special occasion is to put together a box full of sandwiches, scones and cakes. As an extra flourish, I will write out a menu on a postcard. Then it’s just a question of unveiling the outdoor furniture, giving it a wipe down and adding some cushions and blankets in case it’s chilly. With a steady supply of hot tea, it’s a lovely way to welcome in the new growing season and lots of sociable times in the garden to come.

Fiona

Instagram @fionacumberpatch blog fionacumberpatch.com

Inspiration at RHS Chelsea

Lovely salad leaves MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 35

BEFORE

Japanese quince ‘Yukigoten’ crying out The outdatedhgaofrdmenodweras n pizzazz for a touc

Use screens creatively in your plot too – see p40

Japanese maple

“The textures and colours make every inch interesting” been transformed into an enchanting haven with INNOVATIVE PAVING and plush plants GARDEN

makeover Discover the latest paving trends on p42

36 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

GARDEN MAKEOVER

W

hen Laura Deacon purchased her home in Finchley, London, nine years ago, it was the outside space that won her over. “I used to walk past on my way to and from the Tube, and this house was the one in the whole street that I said I would never want to live in because of the naff pebbledash exterior!” she remembers. But when this 1930s mid-terrace fitted the bill and budget when house hunting, Laura went for a viewing and saw past the dated front to the generous outdoor space behind. “The garden was just right, so I blanked out the pebbledash!” she smiles.

OVERGROWN SHRUBS

Acer palmatum ‘Dissectum’

The previous owner had lived in the property for 40 years and the 24 x 6m garden was well-established, if rather overgrown. “It was a typical London garden with a small patio, a lawn in the centre, flowerbeds up both sides, and a raised level with a garage in the top corner,” explains Laura. “Everything needed cutting back, especially the ivy.”

Laura set to work with the secateurs, taming the mature shrubs and claiming back the space. And the more Laura saw of her plot, the more she realised its potential. “While I knew I didn’t want the garden the way it was, I didn’t have the first idea about how to transform it,” she says.

A Google search led Laura to garden designer and creative director of Earth Designs, Katrina Kieffer-Wells (earthdesigns. co.uk). “I wanted someone with a knowledge and understanding of London gardens and, quite simply, having made contact with Katrina, I liked her as well as the plans she produced,” says Laura.

SMART IDEAS TO STEAL Hart’s tongue fern

INSTALL SCREENS instead of trellis to support climbing plants.

POSITION CREEPING PLANTS into gravel.

USE BOLD ANGLES to make your garden look wider.

When Katrina came to see the garden, there were clear issues that needed to be addressed in the design. “The main challenge was the large concrete garage at the back of the garden, the appearance of which had to be improved,” explains Katrina.

And when it came to garden style, Laura didn’t have a clear vision in mind. “That was the tough bit,” Laura remembers. “I realised I had to come up with something and, although I do really like Victorian cottage gardens, I didn’t like the idea of all those flowers and the work of seasonal planting and pruning.”

Laura’s mind was drawn back to a visit to Japan in 2007. “I’d loved the classic Zen gardens with raked gravel and large rocks, as well as the wonderful, carefully planted public gardens – the colours and textures were outstanding,” she explains. “And it seemed to be the epitome of low-maintenance – I could just nip out with a rake! However, transplanting that to north London didn’t really work with M A R C H 2 0 2 2 M O D E R N G A R D E N S 37

EAT U R E: G AP P HOTOS / K I RS TY M C N EI L- O’CO N N O R PH OTOS : G A P P H OTOS / N N A O MI OTE K-TOTT G A RD EN D E S IG N : E A RT H D E S I G N S

SETTLING ON A STYLE

➣

Laura got her dreaeemksgarden in just five w

MY GARDEN PL AN

LOCATION London THE LOOK Japanese-inspired space SITE Size 24 x 6m Faces East Soil London clay

MY BUDGET Clearing & prep £1,640 Black limestone paving £5,710 Porcelain paving £2,473 Ebony Cloud schist paving £7,671 Screens £4,350 Railway sleeper raised bed £1,473 Planting £3,157 Lighting £2,030 Storage unit £1,412 TOTAL: £29,916 HOW LONG IT TOOK Clearance 3 days Paving 3 weeks Planting 3 days Building raised bed 1 day Installing lighting 2 days Installing screens 2 days Painting fences 2 days TOTAL: 5 weeks

HOW WE DID IT...

Golden creeping Jenny

the pebbledash house and I suspect it would’ve become nothing more than a giant cat litter tray!” she laughs.

Many more hours spent on online research followed, which led Laura to a more refined idea of what she wanted in her own garden. “There were lots of variations of Japanese-style gardens in other countries and it became clear that I liked most of them,” she says. And so Laura collected an inspirational array of images to show to Katrina.

A DREAM MATERIALISES

Putting the plot limitations and Laura’s vision together, Katrina came up with a plan full of Japanese influences for this long, narrow garden. “Bold lines are set at a 45-degree angle to the house, the patio stretching across the

Love these planting pockets? Turn to p20

space, interspersed with Japanese polished pebbles and ground-cover planting pockets,” explains Katrina. And different pavers were chosen to create interest. “We used a section of oak-effect porcelain paving for contrast and to make a path that stretches across the garden to connect with a black limestone patio set at another 45-degree angle,” she adds.

Laura is thrilled with the outcome. “The angle of the slabs is an instant contrast to the up-and-down of the previous garden, and I love it!” she says. “And using three different colours of slabs is something that would not have crossed my mind and, if I’d been asked, I would’ve dismissed it as a fussy idea – but the contrast in colours works so well.”

Laura admits to having had some initial doubts about the materials and choices being

2 3

1 THE PLOT IS CLEARED and a raised bed for fruit and veggies built in the narrow but sunny space alongside the large garage.

38 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

A PATIO OF PALE Ebony Cloud schist paving is laid outside directly behind the house, stretching across the space.

CONTRASTING PLANK PAVING is laid at a 45° angle down the garden, making this narrow plot look far wider than it is.

GARDEN MAKEOVER promised rewards of strawberries, rhubarb, and pears from an espalier tree.

BEFORE

SPACE TO GROW

A run-of-the-mill space with little to beckon Laura outsid e

DECORATIVE SCREENS punctuate the garden and help to disguise the garage.

made though. “I actually drove down to Dartford to look at the brown, oak-effect pavers as I thought they might be a bit naff but I really liked them,” she says. “I’d originally wanted them to be railway sleepers but Katrina was concerned that they would be too slippery. And the idea of the screens was a surprise – I wasn’t sure about them when they went in but now that the plants have grown up them, I’ve grown into them too.”

The one element of the design that Laura wasn’t happy to go along with was a water feature. Although key to many Japanese gardens, she felt that the maintenance needed would be beyond her time limitations. But Laura was happy to make time for a petite fruit and veggie garden, which made good use of the raised area next to the garage, with the

The Japanese influence extends to the plant choice too, with Japanese varieties of many favourite garden plants chosen o collectively bring a sense of Oriental harm. The colour scheme echoes the apanese Zen garden aesthetic with a ame of fresh-green foliage, with the onds of Oriental ostrich fern fronds and ear leaves of the low-growing evergreen panese bamboo key. Stonecrops, nd-your-own-business and creeping nny fill the planting pockets in the paving wit millions of miniature leaves.

To this lush tapestry of green, gentle splashes of white and yellow come and go through the seasons. Spring brings the pale-yellow blooms of Japanese barberry ‘Maria’ and creamy ruffles of flowers on the Japanese quince ‘Yukigotan’.

Japanese honeysuckle ‘Cream Cascade’ fills summer with scent from its white and yellow flowers, while the white spires of compact Japanese bugbane and blooms of Japanese anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’ last into autumn.

Four Japanese maples finish off the show.

“The sheer variety in the planting is fantastic, with so many textures and colours to make every inch of it interesting,” says Laura. “There are lots of evergreens for winter and the screens give structure and shape when leaves fall. I would have never come up with anything like it!

“I love the garden now,” Laura continues. “Just sitting in my kitchen and looking out over it in the morning sun really makes me happy. I use the space so much more too, and I like to care for it. If the sun’s out I’ll sit outside for my breakfast or pop out with a coffee and a book.”

And thanks to the joy of her beautiful new garden hidden away from sight, Laura has even grown to love the understated exterior of the front of her house. “Everyone else in the street has painted their houses white now, so mine is the only one like this on the street and it makes me smile,” she laughs.

PLANT EAVE

Oriental plants add to the subtle Japanese vibe of this leafy outside space.

Japanese barberry ‘Maria’

Japanese bamboo

Japanese quince ‘Yukigoten’

Japanese honeysuckle ‘Cream Cascade’

Japanese spurge ‘Silver Edge’

5 6

4 WEED-SUPPRESSING MEMBRANE fills the gaps between the paving strips to keep the plant pockets as low-maintenance as possible.

FOLIAGE IS PLANTED through the membrane that will soon spread to fill the planting pockets.

SCREENS ARE ERECTED to mirror the angle of the paving, and the membrane is covered with Japanese polished pebbles.

M A R C H 2 0 2 2 M O D E R N G A R D E N S 39

DREAM

screens Get creative with VERSATILE PANELS that add personality to your plot

PERGOLA PERFECTION

MATCH UP A MODERN ARCH Screen With Envy now sells arches inspired by their popular Moucharabiya screens, taking screen style up a notch. £765 with posts, £575 without posts, screenwithenvy.co uk

CREATE INSTANT MODERN ART

Abigail Beddow (@thebeddowspace) has transformed a boring wall in her Essex plot with black Kerplunk screens (from £45, screenwithenvy.co.uk). “I used the screens as statement pieces on the wall to enhance the modern design of the space, and placed lights above to illuminate them. I love this design as it represents modern art very well,” Abigail explains.

F E ATU R E: E MM A K EN DE L L

JUST FOR YOU

A chair, a lantern and a screen are all it takes to create a little spot in your garden perfect for a me-moment with your favourite magazine! Medina Decorative Screen, from £145, gardentrellis.co.uk.

Dappled shade

Got a sunbaked patio? Create a spot out of the sun’s glare. Alhambra, from £45, screenwithenvy.co.uk

40 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Filling in one side of a pergola quickly makes the structure into a cosier space. “I love the drama the screen creates, tempting you to look at it from everywhere you stand in the garden,” says garden designer Jo ManfrediHamer (@jmhgardendesign.co.uk) of Yorkshire. Frond screen, from £45, screenwithenvy.co.uk.

Edgy hedge

These stylish but strong Drift screens are made from powdercoated recyclable aluminium. £495 each, starkandgreensmith.com.

Cubed Trellis, £45 screen withenvy.co.uk

Hive Core-ten Labyrinth Garden Steel, £239.99 Screen, £114.99 screensbycore.co.uk screensbycore.co.uk

Vector in Dove Grey, £95 screen withenvy.co.uk

Diamond Metal Garden Screen, £65.99 thesteelgallery.co.uk

EASY IDEAS

JUMP ONBOARD THE GEO TREND

Screens are a quick and easy way to bring your garden up to date with a geometric twist. Try growing a clematis up the edge of a screen to contrast these angular shapes with the softness of naturally twisting tendrils and pretty blooms.

doors for a Take your garden style in . Pebble look seamless inside-outside divy.co.uk an Panel, from £50, charles

ADD PATIO PRIVACY

Feeling overlooked on your decking or patio? Add some screens! These Ornamental ones (from £509.99) are made in the UK by Metal Garden Screen and are guaranteed for 25 years.

There are over 200 products in the range – have a look at metalgardenscreen.co.uk.

Switch up the look every da Alexa-ready colour chan y with an Screen, £269.99, screen ging LED sbycore.co.uk

ILLUMINATE A WALL

Shelley Goddard (@shellz.home) has positioned screens either side of a water feature wall in her Suffolk garden.

“We added electric lights to the back of the screens with the socket in a weatherproof box buried underneath the stones,” she says. Moucharabiya in Dove Grey, from £45, screenwithenvy.co.uk

ens come in These powder-coated scre ngled in Ta a range of bright colours. llery.co.uk lga Orchid, £65.99, thestee

Satisfy your eyes

Panel, from Decorative Allium rd £32, mrfoxsga en.com

Rather than having one large screen, consider using three narrow panels instead. You’ll get more visual bang for your buck and they’re lighter, so easier to hang yourself. Asanoha Corten Steel Trellis Panel, 1780 x 312mm, £132, starkandgreensmith.com.

Hide your boring bins easy-to-install Plume Fe with nce Sc from £65, charlesandivy reens, .co.uk

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 41

Patio

PH OTO : P O RC E L A I NS U PE R S TO R E.CO.UK

SPECIAL

SPACE PAVERS WITH GRAVEL

P HOTO : M AR SH A L L S.CO.UK

Here’s a clever way to add interest to a patio and create different zones using the same pavers, laid in a different way. While the lounging area is created with butted-up pavers with minimal space for grouting, a second area is formed with channels of gravel in-between them. This design idea works best with porcelain slabs so that you get nice, crisp edges against the lines of gravel.

Try the Modus Grey porcelain pavers, L90 x W90 x D2cm (£66/m2, porcelainsuperstore.co.uk), which have a slightly worn and lived-in effect that adds warmth and character.

Think pale-coloured pavers are not quite right for your plot and fancy something a tad more dramatic? The improvements in manufacturing tech mean that there are all sorts of pavers available that mimic the look of far more expensive, hard-to-maintain materials. These Corten copper-effect pavers have the look of aged metal but enjoy the low-maintenance benefits of porcelain, so they won’t fade or stain and are super-easy to clean. They’re available in Corten Bronze and Iron colourways too and will bring a contemporary industrial vibe to your plot.

The Symphony Elements Corten pavers from marshalls.co.uk each measure L100 x W50 x D2cm. Each pack contains 36 pavers and costs £1,237.25, which covers 17.82m2 and includes the correct amount of jointing compound for your project.

42 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

CREATE A STAGGERED EDGE

This fabulous patio designed by Tom Howard (tomhowardgardens.co.uk) shows how to use paving to turn a standard-size garden into a wow-factor space. The porcelain-plank pavers create a jagged edge, interspersed with faux grass. The artificial turf brings colour to the patio and in turn the paving makes the faux lawn look more alive and interesting.

Don’t skimp on the quality of faux grass as the better it looks, the better it’ll show off the pavers. Try Tuda Luxury Artificial Grass, £22/1m x 2m amazon.co.uk

P HOTO : TO M HOWAR D G A RD E N S.CO.UK

EMBRACE NEW MATERIALS

EASY IDEAS

Heuchera villosa ‘Palace Purple’ Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’

Smart design olution

PAVE THE

O

ver the past two years, there’s been a revolution in the way we pave our gardens. So it’s time to move on from a simple rectangle of paving next to an oblong of lawn as designers have dreamt up all sorts of inventive ideas that are far more exciting that you can pinch for your own plot! It’s not just about the tiles, pavers or slabs you choose, it’s how you use them in the space you’ve got. Whether it’s laying them on the diagonal, surrounding them with gravel, or adding statement planks, these clever ideas will make your patio stand out from the rest.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 43

FE AT U R E: J U L E S B A RTO N- B R EC K

and GET CREATIVE with these ingenious paving ideas

➣

P HOTO : LO ND O NS TO NE.CO.UK . G A R D E N D E S I GN: D E E S T E WA RT GA RD E N D E S I GN. L A N DSC A PI NG : B RO C K S TO NE L A N DSC A PE CO NS T R UCT IO N LT D ( B RO C KS TO NE.CO.UK )

If you’ve got a fairly small space then try this clever designer trick to make it look bigger.

Laying the paving slabs at an angle draws the eye side to side and also beyond the space as the grouting creates parallel lines.

Get the look for less

You don’t need to spend a fortune to get a stylish and modern patio…

1 Luxe look Add extra style with a porcelain paver that looks like high-end marble for a fraction of the cost. Everscape Marbex, L59.2 x W59.2 x D2cm, £49.99/m2 toppstiles.co.uk 2 Easy to lay Extra-large slabs mean you’ll need to do less grouting.

Volcano Grey XXL Porcelain Slabs, L1 x W1m x D2cm, £61.77/m2 royalestones.co.uk 3 Modern classic Grey pavers are the perfect backdrop to any style garden and won’t date. Clark Mica Dark Grey Outdoor Tiles, L61 x W61 x D2cm, £48.40/m2 directtilewarehouse.com

44 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Cutting off a corner accentuates the effect, as in this garden designed by Dee Stewart Garden Design (deestewartgardens.co.uk).

Trendy Black Porcelain Paving, L90 x W60 x D2cm, £55/m2 londonstone.co.uk.

PH OTO : LO N D O N STO N E.CO.U K. L A N DSC A PI N G : SAM A RC H I TEC TS SA M A RC H I TEC TS. CO.UK . G A RD E N D E S I G N : G RD N L A N DSC AP E A N D D E SI G N GR D N D E S I GN .CO.U K

LAY PAVERS DIAGONALLY

F ea ane

LINE UP PLANKS WITH GRAVEL

We’re seeing lots of new garden designs combine plank paving with gravel, making a chic feature of the linear pavers. Keeping the tiles parallel but staggering the placement and varying the widths between them creates a modern, informal vibe. The trick is to use angular gravel, which will interlock and stay in place more than rounded types.

Add up-to-the-minute style with Beige Smooth Sandstone Plank Paving, L90 x W20 x D2cm, £54/m2, londonstone.co.uk.

EASY IDEAS MIX UP PLANTS AND PAVERS

This cutting-edge paving idea was showcased at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year, turning a tiny patio into a patchwork of stepping stones.

Designed by James Smith (jamessmith-design. co.uk), the Green Sky Pocket Garden aimed to cloak the garden in vegetation, patio included.

Instead of laying slabs close together and grouting them in, a planting gap was left around each one and filled with compost to house a variety of low-growing herbs for a heavenly aroma.

Choose a plain-toned but textured slab to ensure the focus is on the plants. Bradstone Textured Paving slabs in Grey, L45 x W45 x D3.2cm, £29.79/m2, simplypaving.com.

TRY THIS!

Highlight dark-toned paving with white gravel. Langley Black porcelain tiles, L60 x W60 x D2cm, £37.50/m2, tilegiant.co.uk

PH OTO : M A RS H A L L S.CO.UK

GO OTT WITH OVERSIZE PAVERS

If you want to get ahead of the curve, then extra-large pavers are a huge trend with garden designers this year and no wonder, as they make a small patio space appear far bigger. Measuring a whopping 1.2m x 60cm, these Ardara porcelain avers in Grey (D2cm, £1017/21.6m2, marshalls. o.uk) ensure a sleek, streamlined look that magically makes this compact area seem huge!

Porcelain slabs have perfectly clean edges that allow you to lay them tight together, minimising the impact of the grout and maximising he enlarging effect of over-sized pavers.

P H OTO: P RO CO LO U RP H OTO G R AP H Y CO U K

ADD A STATEMENT STRIP

In this sleek, contemporary garden designed by The Garden Builders (thegardenbuilders.co.uk), a pale stone patio is bisected with a horizontal band of dark-basalt stone pavers, which are carried vertically up to clad the sculptural f replace. This helps to exaggerate the width of the garden while breaking up what might otherwise have appeared as a ast expanse of stone terrace. It’s a great way to define different portions of a patio nd create a seating and dining area.

The strip can be as narrow as you like and plank pavers make it easy to reate a linear paving feature on the most ompact of patios. Black Basalt Linear aving planks, L90 x W20 x D2cm, from 205/2.7m2, stoneandporcelain.co.uk.

P H OTO : T I L E M O UN TAI N .CO.UK

ncrusted saxifrage

TAKE THE LOOK INTO THE LAWN

Last year was all about taking the inside out onto your patio, and it looks like this year we’re taking the patio out onto the lawn! The same porcelain tiles as the patio have been laid in the grass, which links the two areas seamlessly. If you’ve got a few pavers left over from your patio then this is an easy job to do yourself. Simply lay the pavers where you want them, cut around them carefully using a kitchen knife, remove the

pavers and strip the square of turf with a spade.

Dig a hole deep enough to take the depth of the slab, a 5cm layer of hardcore plus a 5cm layer of concrete mix, ensuring the surface of the paver is 2mm below grass level for easy mowing.

We love these sleek, matt, dark-grey tiles that replicate the look of granite. Quenos Graphite Outdoor porcelain slabs, L59.3 x W59.3 x D2cm, £28.99/m2, tilemountain.co.uk.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 45

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OUTDOOR LIVING

Joyous

RHUBARB BLUSH It’s an exciting time of year when vivid-pink forced rhubarb makes an appearance in our gardens and supermarkets, hinting at the arrival of spring, and we think that’s worth celebrating with a delicious cocktail!

Rustle up an insanely pink homemade syrup with young rhubarb stems and create the prettiest and perfectly balanced cocktail with a gentle dry vermouth and tequila kick. It’s a little bit tart and a little bit sweet and the loveliest way to celebrate spring’s arrival with friends.

Drink anyone?

MARCH TIPPLE Makes four cocktails:

F E ATU R E: C L A R E WA L KE R. PH OTO : S TO C K F O O D

YOU WILL NEED ✽ 225g chopped rhubarb ✽ 100g sugar ✽ 300ml tap water ✽ 1 long strip lemon or orange peel ✽ 75ml tequila ✽ 125ml dry white vermouth ✽ Ice cubes ✽ 500ml sparkling water WHAT TO DO 1 First make a rhubarb syrup. Pop the rhubarb, sugar, tap water and peel in a small pan and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rhubarb becomes very soft. Pour the mixture through a strainer set over a bowl to let the syrup run through. Leave to cool.

2 Combine 200ml of the syrup with the tequila and dry vermouth in a shaker with ice cubes, shake vigorously and pour.

3 Top up with sparkling water and stir.

b r a b u h r r e v o t f e el h t e t s a w ’t n o D P TI o t n i d e r r i t s s u o i c i pulp, it tastes del stard y ogurt or cu

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 47

Selina’s garden

STYLE

THE HERITAGE LOOK Stylist & book author SELINA LAKE shares her on-trend styling ideas & glorious garden buys

T

Selina 48 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

My new book, Heritage Style (£25,

by Selina Lake with photography

by Rachel Whiting, published by rylandpeters.com) is a collaboration between myself, designers, makers and craftspeople. It features homes and gardens that have been designed and decorated to cherish elements of the past, and it shares tips for renovating and giving your outside space a classic grown-up look.

Trending

now

Re-love your junk

Find something you already own and plant it up for spring to give it a new lease of life.

Or scour second-hand and vintage shops or reclaim yards for a bargain that’ll bring a heritage look to your outside space.

The heritage look is comforting and nostalgic, and just what we need right now! Incorporate inherited planters and ruffled table linens to evoke a cherished look inspired by the past.

S EL I N A L AK E ’ S G A RD E N S TY L E D FO R H E R B OO K H E RI TAG E S TY L E

Have a look at my book!

S E L I N A L A K E ’ S G A RD E N S TY L E D F O R H ER B O O K H E RI TAG E S T YL E

his month sees the launch of my new book, Heritage Style, in which I share my ideas for styling and decorating homes and gardens with a heritage look. The style harks back to the reassuring comfort of traditional interiors and formal gardens. Think handcrafted stone paths, classic flowerbeds and heritage paint colours all providing a backdrop for antique garden furniture, vintage ornaments and classic lighting, while wicker lounge furniture, pretty decorative planters and plump cushions added to garden chairs feel warm, welcoming and familiar. It’s not only a relaxing style, but also a sustainable one, built around pre-owned and vintage pieces sourced at online auctions or on Instagram and given a new lease of life.

I wanted to show how to create a home that feels both modern and nostalgic – inviting, easy to live in and full of intriguing personal touches.

And our outside spaces can benefit from heritage style too, with thoughtful styling ideas that celebrate the history of gardens as well as being compatible with modern-day living.

It’s a look that doesn’t date. Use timeworn furniture and gardenalia, especially pieces that have lived their lives outdoors as their patina and charm will bring character to a botanical setting. Add elegant textiles to new furniture, choosing fabrics with classic stripes, on-trend checks or country florals.

Opt for tones such as green, charcoal, richbrown, soft-linen, rust and mellow-mustard.

And think about investing in future heritage items if you are in need of new tools, kneelers or other accessories, choosing pieces that will stand the test of time and only get better with age. Here’s to adding some heritage elements to your outside space this month!

OUTDOOR LIVING

Fall in love with ruffles

Instagram @selinalake

Adding fabrics to outdoor dining areas in the form of tablecloths, napkins and bunting brings a sense of comfort. Choose materials in cotton and linen with heritage designs and details – this ruffle-edge, gingham tablecloth is from projektityyny.com.

Future heritage

Invest in accessories that are well-made from sustainable materials and they may become future heritage items. This Kew Gardeners Bag (£70, initiallylondon.com) is made from heavyweight canvas and is perfect for trowels, gloves, secateurs, ties, plants and more.

P H OTO: J U L IA C U R R IE PH OTO G R A PH Y S T YL I N G : S EL I N A L A KE

Nostalgic moments

When creating a heritage-style garden, use items that have meaning to you. I have plants in my plot that my mum has given me from cuttings she took from my nanna’s garden, and stone planters that used to belong to my husband’s nanna. And I used these numbered metal flower buckets as a styling prop at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year so whenever I see them in our garden now they remind me of lovely Chelsea days!

✽ NEXT MONTH:

EASTER TIME MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 49

Discover the best blooms for patio pots on p55

Japanese maple

“My vision was to create a cosy outdoor room” Kyla Magrath has transformed her compact Bristol courtyard into a sensational space for LIVING AND LOUNGING with patio pots and a homemade pallet sofa

50 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

GARDEN MAKEOVER

GARDEN

W

makeover

hen designing her tiny patio garden, Kyla Magrath decided to go large. “Everything I added was oversized, from the huge shrubs to the enormous planters,” she says. “I wanted it to look architectural and modern so instead of keeping things small to fit the space, I tried to make a statement with something unexpected.”

Kyla’s jumbo planting scheme and outsized decor are brave choices given the modest 5 x 6m plot she has to work with. Not for her the dainty pots and diminutive chairs seen in more conventional patios! Sweeping grasses, a roomy sofa and a luxurious rug unapologetically fill Kyla’s space, to dramatic effect.

Such bold statements weren’t always to be seen on Kyla’s patio. When the influencer and mum of two moved to her Victorian terrace back in 2005 she says the space was a bit of a mess. An uneven path gave way to a neglected flowerbed and unusable grass patches, while the plot was on awkward split levels. “It was really impractical,” Kyla says. “All I wanted was to be able to open the French doors and walk out to a sociable space for entertaining. With it being so small, there was no point pretending it was a traditional garden. My vision was to create a cosy outdoor room. I wanted an extension of the house, with the kind of boho vibe they do so well in places like Ibiza. And I didn’t want grass!”

BEFORE

lacking The underusemd espcoacmefowrtas s in ho

AFTER

SMART IDEAS TO STEAL SUSPEND A LAMPSHADE over your coffee table.

NAIL WOVEN BASKETS to your fence.

STAND POTS AND LANTERNS on log slices fora rustic vibe.

F E ATU R E: R AC HE L TOAL . PH OTOS : K Y L A M AG RATH

LEVEL GROUND

Kyla’s priority was to flatten out the space so she enlisted a tradesman friend to manually dig out the upper layer and uproot the turf. The departure of that awkward step allowed her to choose a material for the newly levelled ground.

Limestone was top of her list but the investment required was out of reach. Second choice travertine brought the warm, earthy tones she was looking for, as well as the natural, rustic quality shared by limestone, at a far more affordable cost. “It transformed the space and gave me the perfect blank canvas for adding my own touches,” she says. “It proved to be low-maintenance too. It only needs a jetwash a couple of times a year to keep it looking good.”

It took Kyla a while to discover the oversized aesthetic for which she’s now known. To start with, she tried her hand at cottagecore, planting delicate penstemons and pretty foxgloves in a newly built raised bed at the back of the plot.

With a view to blend Mediterranean appeal with country-garden charm, she painted the surrounding fencing white. It was a move she was soon to regret. “It didn’t work at all!” she says. “The white paint and itty-bitty planting style weren’t giving me the structure and drama needed in such a small space. Plus, having two young children meant I hardly had time to keep on top of the weeding, and the flowers were destroyed by slugs.”

In a complete about-turn, Kyla decided to shun her whitewashed walls in favour of statement-making black. She painted the fencing in Farrow and Ball’s Railings and, far

Warm and welcoming, the pa now a cosy outdoor roomtio is from visually constricting the space, this appeared to make it larger. It prompted Kyla to consider other unconventional design techniques. “I loved the effect of that black paint,” she says. “Seeing how it made everything look bigger gave me the idea to go dramatic with everything else. I’m influenced by a designer called Abigail Ahern who uses lots of dark colours and oversized objects to make spaces feel larger and grander than they really are. I decided to go all-out with that idea.”

SIZE MATTERS

Keen to make the dainty country-garden style a distant memory, Kyla started researching on Instagram. Inspired by the lush, tropical gardens she saw and after chatting to online posters about their large plants, she visited local garden centre (riversidegardencentre.com) and stocked up on ferns, grasses and shrubs.

A deliberate choice was made to keep the colour palette restrained. “Against the black backdrop, white and purple look best, plus of course lots of greenery, which really pops,” Kyla says. “I’ve come to realise if you don’t pare MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 51

➣

colours right back, small spaces can seem really hectic and busy.”

Giant pots were planted with purple perennials agapanthus and alliums, whose round flowerheads add structure and interest. The expansive foliage of heucheras and winding ornamental leaves of Japanese acers fill the back wall, while large fern fronds and spilling grasses sit in big planters. “I love being on the sofa and feeling the grass on my face as it moves in the breeze,” says Kyla.

la’s garden You can see more ofagKy on Insta @kylam rathinteriors

MY GARDEN PL AN LOCATION Bristol THE LOOK Outside lounge SITE Size 5 x 6m Faces South west Soil Unknown MY BUDGET Labour £1,000 Paving £500 Planters £300 Plants £300 Sofa cushions £100 Firepit £110 Rugs, cushions & throws Gifted Lighting £200 Lampshade £40 Lanterns £150 Coffee table £400 Swing seat £60 Side table £120 TOTAL: £3,280 HOW LONG IT TOOK Levelling the ground 3 days Laying foundations 1 day Laying slabs 2 days Planting 2 days Decorating 1 week TOTAL: 2 weeks (spread over several years)

52 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

UPCYCLED FURNITURE

That sofa might seem straight out of an interiors store, but appearances can be deceptive.

Thanks to yet more Instagram inspiration, Kyla built it from six wooden pallets, without a single screw. “It was so easy,” she says. “I just stacked the pallets on top of each other for a base, and used two for the back rest.”

A quick Amazon search for pallet cushions threw up perfectly sized upholstery, and Kyla added cosy throws and cushions in earthy shades of terracotta and ochre. Alongside a recycled plastic rug (liv-interior.com/de), concrete coffee table (wayfair.co.uk) and oversized fringed lampshade (smoukinteriors. co.uk), it’s safe to say Kyla’s achieved her goal of Ibizan inside-out style.

Adding yet more cosiness are a swing seat (wayfair.co.uk) and a second homemade scaffolding seat by the kitchen window, Kyla’s favourite spot for sunny morning coffees. The addition of a firepit (vonhaus.com) elevates this zone into a toasty evening sanctuary, helped by clever lighting. Come sundown, a vast array of solar sets illuminate the plot, including festoon, stake, micro wire and fairylights (lights4fun.co.uk and sparkle.lighting).

Kyra’s outside space now hosts parties and acts as an al fresco office. It even became a makeshift classroom during lockdown home-schooling, proving that however small a plot, there’s no limit to what can be achieved.

“My patio may be tiny, but it functions just like another room, and I love it,” she smiles. “I’m so pleased I decided to think big – quite literally!”

Kyra’s tips for an outdoor lounge Blankets and rugs are crucial for the inside-out look but always buy recycled plastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) versions. They are eco-friendly plus they resist mildew so you can leave them outside all summer.

I give mine a quick jetwash in late autumn then store them in the shed when dry.

Repurpose old wood to make affordable, adaptable furniture.

I made a foldaway dining table from an old door I spotted at a reclamation yard, adding foldable legs from tiptoe.fr so it folds flat for easy storage.

Lights give a magical outdoor atmosphere and it’s best to mix as many bulb sizes as possible, using larger festoons and huge shades with micro and fairylights. I always choose solar versions because there’s nothing more cheerful than seeing light on a winter’s evening.

Rather than having separate items for the house and the garden, move things between your inside and outside spaces. That way you’ll have twice as many things to switch up the look of your garden whenever you want.

A BRIGHT IDEA, a branch is painted white, cemented into a pot and wrapped with fairylights.

A TWISTED HAZEL makes a treemendous canopy for a swing chair.

AN OLD DOOR is open for business as a foldout dining table.

TEXTURE TREATS include wood, seagrass and jute.

GARDEN MAKEOVER Make the most of your patio pots, p58

A WOODEN PLANK fitted with hairpin legs brings a touch of rustic chic to the table.

OVERSIZED POTS from getpotted.com pack a punch.

FROM CRATE to great, for an easy extra seat.

FORAGED FINDS blossom as a pretty spring table decoration.

INSIDE OUTSIDE

With comfy cushions and throws, stylish pots and pretty upcycles, Kyla’s compact garden is an extension of her home THE SOFA’S SO GOOD you wouldn’t know it’s made from old wooden pallets!

A PALM FRINGE lampshade from smoukinteriors.co.uk adds a light touch.

RUSTY WINDOWBOXES become lustworthy planters for a selection of succulents.

A SKULL ORNAMENT heads up a table tray display.

MARCH 2022

A LANTERN LADDER steps up the style.

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 53

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Sara

EASY IDEAS

pati

FILL YOUR

s!

Plant these CONTAINER-HAPPY BLOOMS now for a summer packed with heavenly petals

AGAPANTHUS

Add a touch of exotica to your plot with agapanthus, or African lilies, which love a sunny, warm spot on the patio. There are some brilliant ones to choose from but our pick of them all is ‘Fireworks’ with its large, two-tone blue blooms with white petal tips from July to September. Wait till April to plant these beauties outside. Height 60cm Spread 50cm. £15.99/9cm pot thompson-morgan.com

HYDRANGEA ‘GLAM ROCK’

Woohoo! This mophead is one of the best hydrangeas to grow in a pot, if you’re brave enough for its zingy dayglo colours!

From summer to early autumn, it’s smothered with psychedelic blooms, the petals splashed with lime-green at the tips. Colours vary depending on the compost’s acidity or alkalinity, and the hue changes as the seasons progress.

Height and Spread 1.2m. £14.99/2L pot vanmeuwen.com

Sedum takesimense ‘Atlantis

’

This colourful stonecrop looks brilliant in a pot. Despite its diminutive size, we love its lime-green flowers that last for months in midsummer. The rosettes of scallopedged leaves are evergreen and the creamy-yellow edges can flush a pretty pink in autumn. Height and Spread 30cm. £7.99/9cm pot rhsplants.co.uk MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 55

➣

EASY IDEAS SALVIA

The popularity of ornamental sages is surging, thanks to last year’s Insta-love for the red-andwhite ‘Hot Lips’. They flower all summer until the first frosts, with a warm, spicy scent. We’re predicting that ‘Amistad’ will be top of the wish list in 2022, with its large, deep-purple flowers with an almost-black base and stems.

Height 1.2m Spread 50cm. £5.95/9cm pot sarahraven.com

ROSE ‘GERTRUDE JEKYLL’

One of the first roses to start flowering, continuing well into autumn, this is our pick for the most beautiful of patio pots.

The oh-so-pretty flowerbuds open to large, pink flowers but the best bit of all is the quintessential old rose fragrance – ahhhh! Height 110cm Spread 90cm. £27/potted rose davidaustinroses.co.uk

Flower heaven FRENCH LAVENDER

F E AT U RE: G EO FF HO D G E. PH OTOS : F R I E D R I CH ST R AU SS, A LA M Y, V I S I O N S, S H UT T E R S TO CK

Lavenders are the perfect pot plant, delivering masses of colourful flowers, evergreen foliage and a heart-warming, beneficial scent, without being too thirsty.

French lavenders add extra charm with bunny-ear, leafy bracts at the top of the flower, usually in a different colour. Our fave is Lavandula stoechas with dark-purple flowers with adorable lilac ears. Height and Spread 60cm. £2.50/9cm pot bethchatto.co.uk

Patio

SPECIAL

SEA HOLLY

These super-modern, electric-blue blooms with silvery bracts above spiky foliage are a perfect match for pale porcelain paving, especially dazzling Eryngium zabelii ‘Big Blue’. The faded flowers dry to fab seedheads for winter structure, too. Height 100cm Spread 50cm. £10/1L pot hardysplants.co.uk

Perennial wallflowers

Penstemons

Flowering from late spring until autumn, the blooms will be back again year after year. Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ is our pick with deep-mauve flowers above narrow, grey-green, evergreen leaves, but there are lots of other beauties in a wide range of colours. Wait until April to plant them outside. Height 75cm Spread 60cm. £17.99/2L pot rhsplants.co.uk

For flowers all summer into autumn in kaleidoscope colours, for little effort, you need some pots of penstemons. The stems are covered with blooms, and you can choose from white and pale pastel colours all the way through reds, delicious plums and rich purples. Wait till April to plant them outside. Height 90cm Spread 45cm. £5.95/9cm pot sarahraven.com

56 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

A style guide to the

outside

Industry expert and founder of Out and Out Original, Daniel Fairburn, brings you this season’s best deals on designer furniture. Visit www.outandout.com or call 02037 728 752 for more exciting deals and discounts.

Delano - 5-Seater Garden Furniture Set The Delano patio furniture set is generous in size and seats 5 in comfort. It comprises of 2 armchairs, a 3-seater bench and a matching coffee table which offers convenient storage space. The comfy padded seat cushions feature removable covers for washing to keep up that flawless look. Contemporary in design, it is bang on trend in this season’s taupe or dark grey. This Garden set is made from UV stabilised resin, meaning that it is virtually maintenance free all year round, see website for details. Normally £499, it’s now available at an amazing £299*, but only when you quote your £200 discount code MGFEB22B at checkout.

SAVE £200 Kin ston - Rattan Lounge et

SAVE £220

Relax in style with this stunning modular lounge set of two corner chairs, two matching ottomans and tempered glass topped coffee table. Finished in a gorgeous rattan like material with plump polyspun fabric seat cushions, the Kingston is designed to adapt to whatever suits your mood. Arrange the ottomans in front of the chairs and stretch out or push the ottomans and coffee table together for an ultracomfortable daybed. Each piece has a powder coated frame and is maintenance free. Normally £699, it’s yours for just £479*, when you quote your £220 discount code MGFEB22C at the checkout.

Stockholm - Corner Loun e Set Enjoy being in your garden this summer with the Stockholm Corner Lounge and Dining Set. This set sits up to 6 comfortably and the sofa is made from polyrattan which gives durability and virtually no maintenance needed. The table is 144cm long with a wood-effect slatted table top and has an underneath shelf for extra useful storage. The comfy seat and back cushions are covered with polyspun fabric so soft to touch and the covers can be removed and washed easily to keep your lounge looking pristine clean. Normally £799, now available at an amazing £499*, but only when you quote your £300 discount code MGFEB22D at checkout.

SAVE £300

To receive your discount on any of these products quote discount code at checkou www.outandout.com or call 02037 728 752 before 16.03.2022. *Excludes delivery. Prices correct at time of going to press.

shine

RISE &

Pelargonium

These easy afternoon projects will raise your FAVOURITE POTS i h sp

F E ATU R E: G EO F F H O DG E. PH OTOS : PE L A RG O N IUM F O RE URO PE.CO M , G A P PH OTOS / F R I E DR I CH S TR AU S S, F UTU RECO N TE N T HU B CO M , TH E J OYO F P L AN TS CO U K

LOVELY L GRANDSTA

Make great use o by converting it i display. If you hav the best place to Marketplace and you’ll need one w sides, but it’s easy batons if needs b Measure the le plywood needed each a little narro the ladder rungs fits snugly inside frame, and 20-30 longer than the la frame at each sid so there’s enough overhang space f the pots. Measur across the top of and use a compa circles in the plyw smaller than the Cut using a jigsa guide hole first w to insert the jigsa Using sandpaper all the cut surfaces and edges. Slot the p ywood lengths into the ladder frame and screw to the rungs before add r pots.

WHAT IT COST ✽ 18mm thick marine plywood: 2.44 x 1.22m, £73.46 edecks.co.uk (enough to make three display levels) TOTAL: £73.46

58 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

ascia a Apricot’

Recycle your stuff

SIMPLE PROJECTS

6 EASY

PROJECTS TO DO NOW! TRY THIS!

Cut holes to hold pots in a wooden tray, protect with exterior varnish, and hang with rope

EASY ROPE LEDGE

GREAT CRATE STACKER

Lobelia ‘Cambridge Blue’ WHAT IT COST ✽ Vintage crates or wine boxes: from £29.95/6 wine boxes wineboxesetc.net TOTAL: £29.95

Wooden crates make fabulous impromptu display cases for potted plants and fit perfectly into the cottagecore trend. Look out for used wooden wine boxes and fruit and veg crates on Facebook Marketplace or gumtree.com, or head to a vintage, antique or collectors’ fair – discover your nearest at vintage events finder vintassion.com. Or buy new for an instant result. If you’ve got a sheltered patio, just stack them or, for a permanent display, screw them together.

This simple-to-make shelf adds texture as well as room for pots. If you don’t already have an offcut of wood, try your local reclaim yard. You’ll also find rustic scaffold boards on etsy.com.

Insert strong hooks or nails into the wall or fence, making sure they’re both at the same height and far enough apart to ensure the hanging ropes sit a good way within the shelf.

Measure the length of the two supporting ropes needed, bearing in mind you’ll need to allow for it sitting under the shelf and some extra for the knots. Knot both ends of both ropes around the hooks or nails and insert the wood.

WHAT IT COST ✽ 2m Synthetic Manilla Rope 32mm dia: £4.39/m cheaprope.co.uk TOTAL: £8.78

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 59

Lobelia

Patio

SPECIAL

FLOATING FENCE POTS

GOOD IDEA!

Pot clips allow you to attach standard terracotta pots to a fence or wall, and it’s easy to unhook fading pots and swap them for a set about to burst into bloom. Several types of pot clips are available including Kikkerland Floating Plant Hangers (£8/3, sugru.com) and Hangapot Hidden Flower Pot Hangers (£36.76/12, etsy.com), but we’ve used steel plant pot hangers, which are available from eBay. All these systems simply screw to the vertical surface and have extensions that hook over the lip of the pot, holding it securely in place.

WHAT IT COST

✽ 3 terracotta pots:

£1.30 each/13cm dia diy.com ✽ Steel plant pot hangers: £15.99/5 ebay.co.uk TOTAL: £19.89

60 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

SIMPLE PROJECTS

TRY THIS!

Use screws and washers to attach lengths of looped rope to a shed wall to house pots

INDUSTRIAL SCAFFOLD SHELF

A chunky wooden scaffold board makes for a stylish patio shelf. While you can buy used planks, which are regularly offered on eBay, Etsy and recycle and reclaim sites, they can be warped and may come with unwanted screws and nails. So if you can’t view the boards before purchase, you may want to buy new, giving it a coat of wood stain if it comes untreated. Its weight needs supporting on strong brackets and, for a shelf longer than 1.5m, it’s safer to use three or more brackets.

To ensure the shelf is perfectly level, attach the first bracket to the wall at one end, place the scaffold board in place, then position the second bracket at the other end and check the board is level with a spirit level and mark

PERGOLA POT HANGER

Cut out two square pot supports from a sheet of MDF board, making them 10cm wider than the diameter of the pot. Position the pot upside down in the centre of each support and draw around it with a pencil. Cut 1cm inside this circle using a jigsaw, drilling a guide hole first to insert the jigsaw blade, so the pots will be held snugly in each square. Use sandpaper to smooth all the

the position before fixing. Then fix any further central brackets. When drilling into stone or brick, you’ll need to use a stone drill and make sure you drill into the brick or stone rather than the mortar in-between. Attach the shelves using 50mm screws with a diameter that matches the exact size of the bracket holes.

Crank up the style dial

WHAT IT COST ✽ 2m scaffolding board: £26.59 themetalstore.co.uk ✽ 3 cast iron shelf brackets: £6.05 each woodnwax.co.uk TOTAL: £44.74

cut surfaces and edges. Drill a small hole in the corner of each support, about 2cm in from the edges, just large enough to thread through the twine. Then paint, making sure you thoroughly coat all cut surfaces.

Cut the string into four equal lengths, knot the bottom of each one and thread through the holes of the bottom support. Work out where you want to position the top support, tie knots in the four strings at this point and thread through the string. Tie all four strings together at the top with a large knot, hang and insert your pots.

IT COST 22m x 61cm x 9mm: 7 diy.com pylene twine: ol craft-twinery.co.uk y paint: PlastiKote 0/400ml wickes.co.uk : £30.23

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 61

Mother’s Day

DELIGHT Decorate your table with BOTTLES OF FLORAL JOY and make a moment to remember, says JANE SCOTT

M

y mum was great at making everyone who came to our house feel so welcome, and Mothering Sunday was no exception. She loved opening up her home to all our friends and relatives. From the moment you stepped through the door you were touched by her warmth. En route to the kitchen, the heart of our home, you would walk past a vase of her favourite flowers. Then in no time at all the kettle was on, the teapot warmed, and you’d be presented with the best cuppa in the world!

Making people feel welcome is a family tradition I’ve mindfully continued and the trend for tablescaping is the perfect way to make my nearest and dearest feel extra special on Mother’s Day. I’ve designed this setting with my dear mum in mind, keeping it all very light, pretty, flowery and with enough room for some fabulous food. I’ve added name tag keepsakes, which I hope guests will take away and treasure.

FEATURE & PHOTOS: JANE SCOTT

Jane

No table setting is complete without candlelight. After placing a sprig of waxflower, eucalyptus and pittosporum with a dash of water inside three vintage milk bottles, I wrapped the bases of three soft-pink dinner candles with carpet moss and gently pushed them into the bottle necks.

3

62 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Jane’s floral faffery lo and is easy and thriftyoks stylish to create

Starting with the name tags, I practised my very rusty calligraphy – John Lewis sells some brilliant ready-to-use pens if you want to have a go. I wrote the name of each guest onto little luggage tags, allowed the ink to dry, and then tied them onto upcycled bottles with string. Fevertree tonic bottles are perfect.

A special occasion calls for special flowers and foliage – I got mine from popupblooms.com. Perfect for my theme, they included three lilac snapdragons, five pink ranunculus, five antique carnations, three wax flowers, a little bunch of pittosporum and eucalyptus. I added rose petals for scattering.

I added water to the name tag bottles, and placed a mix of three to four flowers and foliage stems in each.

I like to have flowers at different heights so I added a couple of stems and sprigs to five smaller bottles too. Upcycled spice jars would work just as well as these vintage bottles.

With everything to hand, I arranged my tablescape. Inspired by the flowers and candles, I used a selection of tableware in similar shades. I placed a flowery place setting next to each plate, dotted the little flower bottles along the centre of the table, and scattered the rose petals in-between.

1

4

2

5

SIMPLE PROJECT Instagram @janescottflowers

blog janescottflowers.com

Add a touch of loveliness

oto h p a e k a t d n a t n me o m e h t r u o v a S s! e P v i r TI r a e n o y r e v e ore f e b e p a c s e l b a t r of you MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 63

Midnight Blue Wellington Boots Planter, £16 dibor.co.uk

String Chair, £35 bmstores.co.uk

Spring

50

LOW-COST LOVELIES

STEALS Update your garden for a song with these stylish BUDGET BUYS Abstract Face Planter White, £25 dunelm.com

Hoole Cesta Steel Fire Basket, £45.99 gardenesque.com 64 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Palm Tree Indoor Outdoor Runner, £29 dunelm.com

BEST BUYS Decorative Garden Blue Tit Stake, £5 wilko.com Printed Candle with Citronella, £5 bmstores.co.uk

GOOD TO KNOW!

This rug is made from weatherproof and stain-resistant polypropylene

£10 and under!

Aliza Windlights, £5 each dobbies.com Decorative Garden Ceramic Sign, £5 wilko.com Turtle Planter, £8 bmstores.co.uk

Plum Slate Chippings, £3.99 therange.co.uk

Bee Happy Wall Art, £10 bmstores.co.uk

Decorative Bronze Effect Palm Stake, £4 wilko.com

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 65

Decorative Hanging Rainbow, £6 wilko.com

Garden Mirror Rattan & Rope, £20 wilko.com

Cheer up your sofa Lido Cushion Turquoise, £22 waltonshop.co.uk Habitat Scatter Outdoor Cushion Pink, £16/2 argos.co.uk

Watermelon Print Outdoor Scatter Cushions, £20/2 kaleidoscope.co.uk

Pineapple Print Outdoor Scatter Cushions, £20/2 kaleidoscope.co.uk Tassel Floor Cushion, £20 bmstores.co.uk 66 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Luxury Tufted Cushion, £12 bmstores.co.uk

BEST BUYS

Sulu Rattan Effect Hanging Basket with Bracket, £19 dunelm.com

Outdoor Table, £17.99 hm.com

Smart Garden FunkyMingo Metal Garden Ornament, £22.99 very.co.uk

Glass Bird Feeder Set, £39 idyllhome.co.uk

Fish Silhouettte Stake Garden Ornaments, £21.99/3 therange.co.uk

Peace Out Gold Garden Gnome Ornament, £29.99 therange.co.uk

Wireless Outdoor LED Table Lamp, £29 alicesgarden. co.uk

Percy Peacock Wall Light, £12.99 very.co.uk

Pretty Boho Hanging Floral Wreath, £30 dunelm.com

P H OTO: S H U T TE R S TO C K – FO R I L LUS T RATI O N P U R POS E S O N LY. POT N OT I N C LUD E D

Madrid Cane Effect Garden Plant Shelf, £29.99 very.co.uk

Solar Stake Candles, £30/4 coxandcox.co.uk Solar Lit Outdoor Panel – Mandala, £35 coxandcox.co.uk air of Standard Bay Trees, 99 yougarden.com MARCH 2022

➣ M O D E R N G A R D E N S 67

Wicker Effect Lantern, £25 jdwilliams.co.uk

Solar Cane Lantern, £25 coxandcox.co.uk

Jonas Lantern, £22.99 dobbies.com

More ust-worthy lanterns Hanging Solar Lantern, £22.99 gardenesque.com Semmi Lantern, £14.99 dobbies.com Moroccan Style Solar Lantern £12 bmstores co.uk

olar Hanging boo Lantern, £29.99 ve-lights.com

Hanging Chair, £30 bmstores.co.uk

Portable Tabletop BBQ With Charcoal Grill, £14.99 gardenesque.com Shell Planter, £27 jdwilliams.co.uk String of MultiColoured Twinkle Solar Lights, £32 ellajames.co.uk

Hampton Metal Planter, £34.99 sproutl.com Resin Bird Planter, £12 dunelm.com

68 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Habitat Leon Metal Window Box, £15 argos.co.uk

Grey Moai Oil Burner, £25 diy.com

Fluted Decorative Sphere, £35 coxandcox.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER

garden joy

ur mission is to help you create your perfect outside space without it costing the earth, and to grow the plants you love, no green fingers required! Every issue we bring you ideas and easy grows to make your garden more gorgeous. We’re packed with reader gardens, quick ideas, simple upcycling projects and shopping trends. If you want to make the most of your garden and enjoy it right through the season, subscribe today. Choose between the payment options of £38 by annual direct debit, or £3.40 when you pay by monthly direct debit. Or take out a digital subscription and pay £20 by annual direct debit, or £1.90 by monthly direct debit.

FREE P&P

Emma Kendell Editor

DELIVERED FOR £3.40 A MONTH

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www.great magazines.co.uk/moderngardens or call our order line on 01858 438884 Lines open Mon-Fri 8am-9.30pm, Sat 8am-4pm Quote offer code AIAA Terms & Conditions Subscriptions will start with the next available issue. The minimum term is 12 months. Payments by direct debit will continue to be taken unless you tell us otherwise. This offer closes on 15 March 2022. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Cost from landlines for 01 numbers per minute are (approximate) 2p to 10p. Cost from mobiles per minute (approximate) 10p to 40p. Costs vary depending on your geographical location in the UK. You may get free calls to some numbers as part of your call package – please check with your phone provider. Order lines open 8am-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 8am-4pm (Sat). UK orders only. Overseas? Phone +44 1858 438828. Calls may be monitored or recorded for training purposes. For full terms and conditions please visit http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/offer-terms-and-conditions

Boost next year’s daffs After your daffodils have finished flowering, pick off the developing seedheads – they snap off between finger and thumb in a very satisfying way!

Leave the foliage to die back naturally then lightly rake some rose fertiliser (try Toprose, £3.95/1kg, wilko.com) into the soil to give them a boost for the best blooms next year.

garden 70 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Hello spring!

EASY IDEAS

Jump-start dahlias

Plant tubers indoors now for longer-blooming, healthier plants.

Place in pots of multipurpose compost with the crowns just below the compost. Water well and keep the compost moist. Place on a windowsill then plant out in a sunny spot in May.

Get wow-factor wallflowers

As these plants spring into life, water on a high-potash tomato food (try Doff Tomato Feed, £5.49/2.5L, therange.co.uk). This will give them an energy boost so they can put on an even better display of pretty blooms.

Outwit slugs

As temperatures rise and your plants start growing again, slugs and snails wake up too. They aren’t fussy about what they eat and most plants will be on the menu! Slugs love citrus, so leave fresh orange and lemon peel around your garden to tempt them away.

In the morning, collect up the pests and rehome them on a patch of waste ground, or drop them into a bucket of hot, salty water.

Bury gladioli corms

Gladioli will give you a hot burst of colour July-September and they’re great for cutting so you can enjoy them indoors and out. Plant in a sunny spot, just keep the soil moist in summer. Plant the corms (similar to bulbs) about 10cm deep and 10-15cm apart.

Colour up your dogwood

The bright winter stems of dogwood are a delight, and now’s the time to cut them back for fresh, colourful growth. Cut the shrub down to just above the ground and feed with Growmore (£6, wickes.co.uk).

Bag a bargain Look out for snowdrop bulbs ‘in the green’ in nurseries or online. These are bulbs that have bloomed and are dug up just after they’ve finished flowering. They’re cheap as chips and will flower better next spring than bulbs planted in autumn. Plant 10cm deep in a shady spot and water thoroughly to ensure they settle in well. ➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 71

EASY IDEAS

STEP-BY-STEP PRUNE YOUR HYDRANGEAS

1 For all varieties of hydrangea, cut any dead or thin stems back to almost ground level.

Get more blooms from patio roses Snip off twiggy branches then cut main stems back by one-third to a healthy bud. Feed with a rose fertiliser (try Toprose. £3.95/1kg, wilko.com), which contains high levels of potash to give blooms a boost, as well as trace elements to keep leaves healthy and help prevent diseases.

Revive your lawn

Mow when it’s dry with blades on the highest setting then gradually lower them as spring gets fully underway. To repair any bald patches, scatter over a seed-and-feed such as Patch Magic (£10/1kg, wilko.com).

Garden notebook

Find your simple guide to all you need to know to get started outside at moderngardensmagazine.co.uk

72 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

3 For H. paniculatas and arborescens, cut each stem to 30-60cm high just above a pair of healthy buds.

4 Lightly fork the soil, sprinkle over a little general fertiliser and top with fresh compost.

CO M PI L ED BY A N G E LA KE N N Y. PH OTOS : A L AM Y, S H U TTE RS TO C K , G ET TY IM AG E S, GA P PH OTOS / V IS I ON S

2 If it’s H. macrophylla, cut 10-15cm off stems with old flowers, snipping just above a fat bud.

O N AP SA R LE IL M ISS AR UE CH 16 PH OTOS : DAV I D K EEG A N , G E T TY IM AG E S, G A P P H OTOS, SH U TT E RS TO C K, A L AM Y

In next month’s issue..

acked Garden makeovers p inch p to u o y r fo s a e id h wit

Step-by-step to this gorgeous bird bath

The best blooms to attract butterflies

ake m to s y a w y s a e p y s a E dly your plot planet-frien

Grow your own salad in patio pots

PLUS, HANGING-BASKET STRAWBERRIES, MICRO PONDS, UPCYCLES, THROW A BRIDGERTON GARDEN PARTY, & MORE!

your own

SEED

FEATURE: EMMA KENDELL, GEOFF HODGE. PHOTOS: GAP PHOTOS

Sow STUNNING SUNFLOWERS on a windowsill now and treat feathered friends to a tasty garden harvest

5

Before you plant your babies outdoors at the end of May, stand pots outside during daylight hours, for 10 days.

9

Push a flower stick into the ground and use twine to tie the plant stem loosely to it.

74 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

6

10

Now your plants are used to being outside, dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot and fill up with water.

It’s a good idea to add a copper coil to deter slugs – make your own by wrapping wire around a tube.

1

Fill the pots with seed compost. An old wallpaper paste brush is the perfect tool to brush off any excess.

7

Remove the plastic pot and pop the plant into the hole. The top of the compost should be level with the soil.

11

As your sunflowers grow taller, push a bamboo cane into the ground and use twine to loosely tie the stems to it.

SIMPLE PROJECT

2

Poke a 2.5cm-deep hole in the centre of each pot with your finger and drop one seed into each. Cover with compost.

3

Water using a watering can fitted with a fine rose until all the compost is moist. Label if you like.

4

Keep warm and well-lit, out of direct sunlight. Water when compost starts to dry out. Seedlings appear in 10-14 days.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Pots and shuttle tray, £9.99 thompson-morgan.com ✽ Gro-Sure Seed and Cutting Compost, £5.95/20L homebase.co.uk ✽ Sunflower seeds, £1 wilko.com ✽ Watering can with fine rose ✽ d secateurs 9/50

8

12

Fill the hole with soil and press down firmly all around using your hands.

It’s so easy!

£25.7 9

Sunflower ‘Black Ma ic’

Once the flowers have faded, cut the stems and hang upside down in a dry, airy place. Store seeds in an airtight tin.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 75

rare | unusual | exciting

PERK UP THE PATIO THIS

SPRING & SUMMER LIKE FABULOUS FRIENDS, FLOWERS BRING CHARISMATIC COLOUR INTO YOUR CREATIVE WORLD, AND WHISPER WHAT WORDS CANNOT SAY

Wisteria Amethyst falls PERFECT FOR THOSE WITH LESS SPACE

BUY 3 FOR ONLY

£8 A POT

Boasting highly fragrant, pea-like panicles during late spring and early summer. When grown in a pot the habit stays compact, so you can sit on your patio and enjoy the full glory. Unlike other wisteria, ˛˜˖˛ ˖˔ ˧˔˞˘ ʨ ˘˔˥˦ ˕ ˠ˦ ˔˥˘ ˣ˥ ˗˨˖˘˗ ˔˙˧˘˥ ˧˛˘ Ѓ˥˦˧ ˘˔˥ʡ Prefers well-drained soil in sun or part-shade. Eventual height if planted in the ground 5m. spread 3.6m Fully hardy perennials.

Delivered in 10.5cm pots from April.

ORDER ONLINE hayloft.co.uk

PHONE 0333 358 2006

Orangetastic

Blue Improved

Calibrachoa FLOWERS SPILL OVER BASKETS & CONTAINERS

Pinktastic

Bright and beautiful, these cute little blooms will smother the compact mounding foliage from June to October. Filling baskets and containers with ease, they require feeding and watering regularly for guaranteed performance. Requiring very little maintenance, these are a must have plant for injecting some summer zing to the patio.

Delivered as young plants from April.

Lemon

Apricot

BUY 15 PLANTS

£1

EACH

Buddleja High Five

Primula

10 FOR £15 BUY 20 FOR MORE

£1

BUY 3 FOR JUST

FABULOUS & FRIVOLOUS

£7

˃˥ ˗˨˖˘˦ ˘ ˘●˖˔˧˖˛˜ ˚ ˗˘ ˜˖˔˧˘ ˣ˔˦˧˘ ˣ˜ ˞ Є ˘˥˦ ˜˧˛ ˔ ˩˜˕˥˔ ˧ ˖˘˥˜˦˘ halo around a bright yellow centre. These colourful primula will brighten and cheer up your garden over January to April - giving it some much appreciated pizzazz. 'Husky Appleblossom' will grow to a maximum height of 30cm, making them a perfect plant for the front of your borders or for a winter container. Delivered as young plants in 7 days.

A POT

DOUBLE FLOWERING DWARF BUDDLEJA A Buddleja for any size garden with its compact upright habit and plump flower stems made up of hundreds of tiny double blooms. This dwarf Buddleja will look truly incredible as a feature on your patio this summer where you can enjoy the beauty as well as the sweet honey fragrance. Flowering through summer and autumn, incredibly easy to grow, preferring a sunny or partially shaded position. Fully hardy perennial. Eventual height of 80cm.

Your 9cm pot plants will be delivered within 7 days.

Please Send

Item Code

Price Qty Total

Abundant Calibrachoa Collection 5

YPCC05-MG0322 £10

Abundant Calibrachoa Collection 15

YPCC15-MG0322

£15

Primula Husky Appleblossom 10

YPPH10-MG0322

Primula Husky Appleblossom 20

YPPH20-MG0322 £16

£15

SPECIAL OFFER Try our brand new, unique blend of plant ˙ ˗ ˙ ˥ ˠ ˥˘ Є ˘˥˦ ˧˛˥ ˨˚˛ ˨˧ ˧˛˘ season. 50g makes 100L for weekly feeds.

Usually £5, introductory price just £1.

Please Send

Item Code

Price

Wisteria Amethyst falls 1

PTWA1-MG0322

£16

Wisteria Amethyst falls 3 PTWA3-MG0322

£24

Buddleja High Five 1

PTBH1-MG0322

£12

Buddleja High Five 3

PTBH3-MG0322

£21

50g Plant Food

SUFER50-MG0322 £1

P&P (UK only)

Qty Total

£1

PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK CAPITALS Name Address

£5.95 Total

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Tel

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See over 3500 rare, unusual and exciting plants online

OVER TO YOU

Growing, making, upcycling or SIMPLY ENJOYING. We love to see what you’re up to in your g rdens

Mini makeover of the month!

My garden has seen many changes over the last 10 years. It started off as all grass and I needed it to be more low maintenance as I have a spinal condition so I can’t do as much as I once could. It’s now easier for me to manage with slate, gravel, raised beds and porcelain paving.

It’s become my sanctuary where I read, watch the birds, and enjoy time with my partner and friends. I’m sure having a garden to work in and enjoy helped me recover from surgery quicker. I now have a pond for wildlife, bird feeding areas, a comfy seating area, a bench to sit on in the morning sun, and palms, and a lovely lots of greenery including bamboo, Fatsia ja summerhouse. Abigail Robertson, email

Before

✽ Congratulations to Abigail fo

ending us her mini makeover. he receives a Casablanca Solar Moroccan Lantern Duo worth 46.99 from lights4fun.co.uk

d A work in progress with a mission an y ar tu nc sa y m is en rd ga My t it to make it more low maintenance ou ith w e m sa e th be t n’ ld ou life w

Have you transformed a corner o our plot from lacklustre to lovely?

Or turned a dull old item into a fab arden feature? Send us a before and fter photo and you could be the winner next month!

CO M PI L E D BY AN G E L A K E N N Y

Coffee stop

My husband made this arbour for me and it’s the perfect place to sit and have coffee. He painted it using Cuprinol Garden Shades in Coastal Mist and a white Sadolin paint. I love it and come what may, it’s a little place to relax.

Vivienna Price, Facebook

78 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

I’ve created a reading area in my garden.

It’s so calming, I love it!

Elise Franklin, email

* F O R F UL L T ER M S A N D CO N D I TI O N S, V I SI T W WW. B AU E RL EG A L .CO.UK / CO MPE T I T I O N-T E R MS.H T ML

After

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O PA £ barer19.50/ Y oot p lant

care guide ‘Constance Spry’ ‘Roald Dahl’

David Austin

ENGLISH ROSE Treat your garden to this gem now and look forward to a summer of SCENTED BLISS

Y

es, we adore roses! But, if we’re being honest, aren’t many of us a little confused by all the different types? From climbers to ramblers and tea rose bushes, it’s all a little befuddling. But worry no more! Here at Modern Gardens we’re sticking our neck out to say, if you want to add a rose to your garden, make it a David Austin

‘Charles Darwin’

FEATURE: GEOFF HODGE PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK, ALAMY, VISIONS, GAP PHOTOS/FRIEDRICH STRAUSS

‘Desdemona’ In the early 1950s, David Austin set out to create a more beautiful rose on the family farm in Shropshire. He loved tough, disease-resistant shrub roses with their classic, romantic blooms and finest of fragrances, but was frustrated that they only produced a single flush of summer flowers. He used his remarkable plant-breeding skills to harness the repeat-flowering powers of other rose types and created a variety that boasted the best of both worlds.

The first David Austin English Rose was ‘Constance Spry’ and, since then, Mr Austin has bred over 200 more, all producing gorgeous blooms for months on end throughout summer.

We particularly love ‘Roald Dahl’, which has soft orange-red buds that open to cupped rosettes with perfect apricot colouring and a lovely fruity scent. ‘Desdemona’ is dreamy with peachy-pink buds opening to white, chalice-shaped blooms with a pinkish hue and a fragrance that’s an intoxicating blend of almond, cucumber and lemon zest. The scent of the mustard yellow flowers of ‘Ch pure lemon, w ‘Scepter’d Isle has a myrrh-li fragrance from its pretty, light-pink flowers.

‘Scepter’d Isle’

English Rose. They look amazing, smell even better, and bloom all summer long!

And now is a brilliant time to plant one.

Up until mid-March you’ll still be able to buy a bareroot plant, which is much cheaper than a potted one. And planting now will allow your rose to sink its roots into the ground in time for a glorious display of blooms this summer.

Patio

SPECIAL

‘A Shropshire Lad’

M O D E R N G A R D E N S M AG A Z I N E.CO.U K

How to make your new plant happy ✽ PICK A HEALTHY PLANT

Many David Austin English Rose varieties are readily available from garden centres, but a specialist rose nursery will have a wider range to choose from. Select a bareroot plant with at least three strong, healthy stems and a good root system with undamaged roots that haven’t withered and dried out. Avoid plants with a few, thin or damaged stems and few or no plump roots.

✽ KEEP IT ALIVE

Roses prefer a warm, sunny position but will grow in partial or light shade. They thrive in almost all types of soil except very chalky soils or those that dry out in summer, and they love heavy clay soil. Whatever your soil, dig in lots of bulky organic matter such as Verve Horse Manure Soil Conditioner (£4.37/50L, diy.com) when planting. In containers, use John Innes No. 3 Compost.

Once your new rose has had a chance to grow its roots deep into the ground, it’ll only need watering during prolonged dry periods in summer. If it’s in a container, you’ll Visit the David Austin Rose Gardens in Albrighton, Shropshire, in summer to see (and smell!) lots of the roses in bloom; davidaustin roses.co.uk

need to water it regularly in spring as well as during the summer months.

✽ HELP IT THRIVE

Roses are hungry plants so feed throughout spring and summer with a rose fertiliser such as Toprose Rose & Shrub Feed (£4.50/1kg, homebase.co.uk). And add a layer of compost or well-rotted manure on the soil around the plants in spring.

Good to know David Austin English Roses are easy to prune and the best time is when the first leaf buds start to open in late winter. First remove any stems that are dead, dying, diseased or damaged, plus any stems that look dismally weak. Then remove any stems that cross over each other and rub. Finally, chop all the remaining stems by around a third. Job done!

To make cut blooms last warm, running water at longer, snip the stems under a 45-degree angle and ch ange the water r recutting the stems when you do.

‘Olivia Rose Austin’

plastic, make drainage Line a wooden crate with of Shalott’ (£19.50, y holes, and fill with ‘Lad a stunning patio display. for d daustinroses.co.uk)

Highlight your new rose by airy plant such as catm planting alongside an in Rose ‘Roald Dahl’, £19. t in a contrasting colour.

50, davidaustinroses.co.u k

M O D E R N G A R D E N S M AG A Z I N E.CO.U K

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Cut-out-and-keep ca ‘Pink Champagne’

FEATURE: GEOFF HODGE PHOTOS: ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK, VISIONS, GAP PHOTOS/CHRIS BURROWS

‘Niobe’

There are hundreds of summer-flowering clematis to choose from but our favourites are those that are totally reliable and provide flowers all summer and into autumn.

‘Pink Champagne’ is smothered in bright, star-shaped blooms with lilac stripes and yellow centres from May to June and then again from August to September, and grows anywhere.

‘Niobe’ has gorgeous, wine-red flowers that are almost black when they open, with a sumptuous, velvety texture. Blooming from June to August, it needs a sunny or partially shaded place. And ‘Warszawska Nike’, sometimes listed under its old name ‘Warsaw Nike’, has rich red-purple blooms that mature to a blue-purple from July to September and needs a sunny or partially shaded spot.

‘Warszawska Nike’

CLEMATIS

Plant this FUSS-FREE CLIMBER now and fill your summer with oodles of blooms

C

lematis are called the queen of the climbers and quite rightly so.

Their blooms come in a huge range of colours and there are varieties that favour the shade as well as ones that love to bask in sunny sites, so wherever you fancy a clematis there’s one to suit. Plant one now and it’ll have plenty of time to get settled into your plot ready for a fabulous show of summer flowers.

As long as you give your new plant something to grab hold of as it grows, you can plant one pretty much anywhere. Clematis hold on to structures with their twining leaves, which are used as tendrils, the young foliage twisting around slender objects. Attach trellis or plastic clematis mesh to a wall or fence, grow it in a large patio pot with a tripod of bamboo canes, or tie it to an arch, pergola or arbour. You could also allow it to scramble through a shrub, tree or hedge.

Patio

SPECIAL ‘Giselle’ M O D E R N G A R D E N S M AG A Z I N E.CO.U K

How to make your new plant happy ✽ PICK A HEALTHY PLANT

Clematis are available from garden centres and nurseries, as well as online suppliers.

Choose a plant with at least three strong, undamaged stems that have a good covering of healthy, well-coloured leaves.

Anything with damaged stems and lots of dying, off-colour or yellowing foliage should be left on the shelf.

✽ KEEP IT ALIVE

Check the label to see which direction your new plant prefers to face and whether it grows best in sun or shade. All clematis need a well-drained, moisture-retentive soil that doesn’t dry out in summer so dig in lots of moisture-holding, organic material such

clematis deeper than it is in the pot you bought it in, with the bottom 7.5-10cm of stem below the soil or compost level.

Clematis grow best when the soil is kept moist so water thoroughly in spring and summer whenever the soil or compost starts to dry out.

✽ HELP IT THRIVE

Feed your new plant in spring and summer with a granular rose fertiliser such as Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Continuous Release Plant Food (£3/1kg, diy.com).

Every spring, add a 5-7.5cm deep layer of organic material around the plant. And from next year, cut down all the stems by around a half every February. Removing

‘Perle d’azur’

A simple metal arch is th e perfect twisting tendrils and glor structure for these ious blooms.

‘Imke’

‘Blue Ravine’

clematis in a pot, add a ur yo ow gr to t an w u yo If up. or obelisk for it to climb tripod of bamboo canes

‘Floris V’

Clematis have fab fluffy seedheads well into late autumn an that’ll look good d winter.

M O D E R N G A R D E N S M AG A Z I N E.CO.U K

BEST BUYS

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£2.99 CT TO PA /9cm Y pot

Cut-out-and-keep care guide ‘Peter Pan’

SAXIFRAGE

This DAINTY DARLING will soon be covered in the sweetest blooms and it’s incredible easy to keep alive!

W ‘Pixie’

FEATURE: GEOFF HODGE. PHOTOS: FLORA PRESS, ALAMY, SHUTTERSTOCK, GAP PHOTOS/MAXINE ADCOCK/NICOLA STOCKEN

‘Winston Churchill’

There are hundreds of different saxifrages and to make choosing and looking after them simpler, they’re divided into types. Our firm favourites are the mossy saxifrages. The ‘mossies’ are low-growing, mat-forming plants whose leaves make hummocky mounds that look a little like clumps of moss, hence their name. They’re covered in clusters of small, five-petalled, white, pink, yellow or red flowers on short, upright stems from mid-spring to early summer. And being evergreen, they look fab all year round – just wait till you see your mossy saxifrage decorated with frost next winter.

The finest varieties include ‘Peter Pan’ with rose-pink flowers and pale-yellow centres, ‘Pixie’ with pale-pink and rose-pink flowers, and ‘Winston Churchill’ with very pale-pink, blushed deep-pink blooms. Or for something a bit different, try ‘Cloth of Gold’ with golden leaves and white flowers. They all grow 10-13cm high and can spread up to 45cm.

e’ve looked into Modern Gardens’ crystal ball and we’re predicting that this little beauty will be one of the biggest plant trends this year. Fill a pot for your patio coffee table, squeeze it into nooks beside paving, use it to adorn the front of a raised bed, or even tuck this mini marvel into a crevice in a wall. The petite leaves are evergreen and you won’t have to wait long to enjoy the sweet blooms, which grow from mid-spring.

‘Purp e obe’

Patio

SPECIAL

‘Cloth of Gold’ M O D E R N G A R D E N S M AG A Z I N E.CO.U K

How to make your new plant happy ✽ PICK A HEALTHY PLANT

Plants are available from garden centres and nurseries, as well as online suppliers.

They’re usually regarded as alpines so that’s the most likely section to find them in a garden centre. Choose a plant with a good overall hummocky shape and a full covering of healthy, green leaves. If the plant has a poor shape, any dead areas or lots of dying, off-colour or yellowing leaves, don’t buy it!

✽ KEEP IT ALIVE

Saxifrages prefer a semi-shaded position but will tolerate a sunny spot as long as they aren’t in full baking sun in summer and the soil doesn’t dry out. They like a well-drained, alkaline to neutral soil that doesn’t become overly wet so to get plants off to the best start, especially in heavy clay soils, dig in compost or other organic matter such as Levington Organic Blend Soil Conditioner (£5.99/50L, longacres.co.uk).

If you think there’s a chance the soil will get soggy in your chosen spot, mix some horticultural grit and/or sharp, gritty sand in

Once they’re happily growing in their new homes, saxifrages planted in the ground are unlikely to need any watering except during long, prolonged dry periods. If yours is in a container, then water it around once a week in summer.

✽ HELP IT THRIVE

Feed your saxifrage in spring with a controlled-release fertiliser such as Miracle-Gro All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food (£3/1kg, diy.com). After flowering, snip off all the old flower stems – this is most easily done with the kitchen scissors. A light sprinkling of sharp sand around and over the plant after it’s finished flowering will help keep the hummocks satisfyingly dense.

Did you know?

This little gem ‘Pixi Pan Appleblossom’ (£2.99/9 pot, cowellsgc.co.uk) will cm happily grow in any nook so have a l k e where you can squeeze it in!

The scientific name saxifraga is derived from saxum, meaning stone, and frangere, to break. You might think that this is because these little plants growing on rock might cause the stone to crumble, but it’s because in the past the plant was used to treat kidney stones!

‘Ruby Red’

for teeny-tiny terracotta pots Plant an odd number of displays. ‘Flower Carpet’, e the sweetest of patio-tabl sarahraven.com ds 50/250 see ,

If you’re popping saxifra ge into pebbles around it to set it a bed, nestle some off to perfection.

SIMPLE PROJECTS SNAZZY SPOON MARKERS

u

Not just for salad and veg, make these to pop into herb pots and flowerbeds too.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Wooden spoons es and pencil mer/undercoat: 0ml jacksonsart.com on tester pots: ch wilko.com c paints: Crawford & Black, works.co.uk crylic varnish: Gloss All crafts Artiste, £2.92/59ml gs.co.uk DO poons with primer/undercoat dry, paint with emulsion. dry. imple veg, flowers or name, in pencil. d black

£22.

02

Let’s get Make your spring return to the garden even more lovely with these QUICK AND EASY upcycles MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 85

➣

DECOUPAGE TOOL BAG

Transfer the design from a pretty napkin onto a plain bag for a bespoke look.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Cardboard to fit inside the bag ✽ Plain cotton shopping bag: £1.60 wilko.com ✽ Paper napkins with a design: Flying Bees Paper Decoupage Napkins, £2/4 ArtwithNorma at etsy.com ✽ 2cm paintbrush ✽ Decoupage glue: Mod Podge Matte, £8/473ml hobbycraft.co.uk ✽ Clingfilm

So EASY!

WHAT TO DO 1 Place the cardboard inside the bag to prevent glue seeping through.

2 Separate the napkin layers and carefully cut around the section of the design you want to use.

3 Use the brush to apply a layer of decoupage glue on the surface of the bag where you want the image to be. Place the image onto the glued area. Lay over a piece of clingfilm and smooth it and the napkin out, working from the middle outwards.

4 Remove the clingfilm and, very gently, apply another layer of glue all over the design to seal it. Separate the cardboard from the fabric and leave to dry.

£11.60 CHALKBO

FEATURE: JULES BARTON-BRECK. PHOTOS: G A P PH OTOS /T H E CO N T E N T ED N E S T, F LO R A P R E S S, F U TU R ECO N TE N T HU B.CO M

Keep track of what y with a lovely labelled

£3

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Masking tape ✽ Terracotta pots and saucers ✽ Black masonry paint ✽ Paintbrush ✽ Chalk pen: White Liquid Chalk Marker, £3 hobbycraft.co.uk WHAT TO DO 1 Stick a strip of masking tape around the rim of each of the pots and paint the pots with the black masonry paint.

2 Leave to dry and paint again if necessary.

Once fully dry, peel off the masking tape.

3 Use the chalk pen to write the names of the plants on the pots before sowing your seeds. ✽ These make great herb pots and you can sow basil, coriander and parsley on a windowsill now then pop outside in May. 86 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

SIMPLE PROJECTS

MINI DENIM PINNY Use a pair of old jeans to make a handy pocketed apron for garden potterings.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Old jeans ✽ Sharp scissors ✽ Dressmaking pins ✽ Ribbon: 100mm Jute Burlap, £5.58/2m PebbleEleven at minionsofcraft.co.uk ✽ Sewing machine, or stitch by hand ✽ Iron WHAT TO DO 1 Cut the back, bottom section from the jeans, snipping along the inside of the side seams, under the pockets and under the waistband – see image below as a guide.

2 Pin under the bottom edge of the fabric to make a 1cm seam. Turn the fabric over so the wrong side is facing up and pin the ribbon, using the same pins, along the edge of the bottom hem so the ribbon just shows on the other side.

3 Sew the hem and ribbon in place, then hem both sides of th pinny, making a 1cm seam. strip of the ribbon th Fold over the

£5.5 8

TRY THIS!

Cut the bases off clear plastic bottles and use as cloches to protect delicate seedlings or plants STORAGE STATION

Hang this rustic storage box under the eaves of your shed or just inside the door.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Sandpaper ✽ Wooden fruit or vegetable crate ✽ Exterior wood spray paint: Rust-Oleum Garden Furniture Spray Paint, £6.15/400ml sprayster.com ✽ Piece of wood cut to the same size as the width of the box ✽ Hammer ✽ Picture hooks and nails: Single Picture Hooks 8 Pack with nails, £1.25 wilko.com ✽ Nails and wood screws WHAT TO DO 1 Sand the crate: wrapping the sandpaper around a wooden block makes this easier. Wipe with a damp cloth to remove dust. Leave to dry.

2 Spray-paint the box and piece of wood and leave to dry.

3 Hammer some picture hooks into the base.

4 Fix the length of the wood across the crate, approx 5cm up from the bottom edge.

5 Attach to the shed wall with wood screws.

g n i m m e h n o r i , u r yo o f t o n ’s g n i w e s a f r t x E ( TIP I d a e t s n i s ay e r l c i r b a f e h t n e e m) o .c m l web bet w e n u d , m 3 / .25 3 £ , b e w a d n u W Strong

7.40 MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 87

Q&A

GOT A QUESTION? We’ve got the

answer, whether it’s about a problem plant, a tricky spot or a product you need

Q

I WANT TO BRIGHTEN UP my ugly garage wall that borders my decking.

Any ideas please? Nancie Terry, Gloucs A lick of bright paint will transform it and Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Satin (£26.46/1L, rawlinspaints.com) comes in an array of fabulous colours from Sky Blue to Salmon Pink. It can be used on many surfaces including masonry, concrete and brick, and is touch dry in one hour. Add some pots of foliage to cast shapely shadows and it’ll look stunning!

Make the entrance to a garden path more inviting by framing it with a wooden arch such as this Sol Aalderich (£256.99, wayfair.co.uk)

Q

I D LIKE TO ADD A WOODEN A Is it easy to do? Kiran Bowman, Banffshire

yg

Yes. Buy a flat-pack arch kit and screw together on flat, clean ground, following the instructions. To make it super-secure, concrete it into the ground. First measure the distance between the upright supports and dig four holes about 60cm deep, making sure they are the correct distance apart. Move the arch into position, lowering the legs into the holes. Check horizontal and vertical surfaces using a spirit level. Half fill the hole with water and tip in Postcrete (£5.79/20kg, diy.com). Once set, cover the tops of the holes with soil and scatter over grass seed if needed.

Q

WE’VE MOVED INTO A NEWBUILD house with very damp clay that’s impossible to plant anything in. What should we do?

Isla-Rae George, Merionethshire If you don’t have the time and energy for lots of digging to improve the soil, then popping raised beds on top of it and filling with compost is an easy win. We love the super-modern Bellamy Circular Rustic Steel Raised Flower Beds (£129.95/900 x 400mm, indooroutdoors.co.uk).

SHOULD I PLANT MY LILY ‘Forever Susan’ bulbs indoors or out?

Subhaan Gilmore, Kent

CO M PI L ED BY A N G E LA K E N N Y P H OTOS : S HU TT ER S TO C K , G AP PH OTOS

Q

‘Forever Susan’ is a tough Asiatic lily and best grown on your patio in a pot of multipurpose compost. Plant the bulbs with the tops at least 5cm below the compost surface, packing them in fairly tightly for maximum blooms, leaving a minimum of 1cm between them. Water, leave outside, then water and feed regularly with Levington Tomorite (£2.50/1L, wickes.co.uk) once they start growing.

88 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

OVER TO YOU

CONTACT US Address: Modern Gardens, Bauer Media, Media House, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA Email: moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk EDITORIAL Phone 01733 468000 Editor Emma Kendell Art Editor Marisa Bailey Production Editor & Head of Publishing Angela Kenny Junior Designer Megan Spear Editorial Assistant Holly Cammarata-Hall Contributors Clare Walker, Fi Galley, Fiona Cumberpatch, Geoff Hodge, Jane Scott, Katie Masters, Jill Morgan, Jules Barton-Breck, Rachel Toal, Selina Lake ADVERTISING Phone 01733 366404/366411 Group Commercial Director Nicky Holt Commercial Director Iain Grundy Key Accounts Joe Sheehan Display Sales Stuart Day Classified Sales Lucy Baxter/Mark Wilde MARKETING Phone 01733 468209 Brand Manager Susan Rogers Product Marketing Manager Sophie Lee Direct Marketing Manager Julie Spires Direct Marketing Executive Raheema Rahim Head of Newstrade Marketing Leon Benoiton Acting Newstrade Marketing Manager Luke Whitby Newstrade Marketing Executive Hannah Watts PRODUCTION Phone 01733 468878 Print Production Colin Robinson Advertising Production Chloe Martin, Kurt Baker Printed by Walstead Bicester Distributed by Frontline

Q

I’D LOVE TO GROW MY OWN SALAD LEAVES but I only have a small patio. Is it possible? Yasser O’Reilly, Essex

Yes it is! If you’ve run out of floor space, make use of the side of your shed, fence, or a wall instead. And you don’t even need to fork out for expensive planters.

Pierce drainage holes in the bottoms of clean empty tin cans and one either side of the top rims using a hammer and nail, mas sections, and paint. Once dry, thread twine th knotting to secure each tin can and loop at th Add compost and your fave salad leaves.

I’M LOOKING FOR A COMPACT cord lawnmower as I only have a small strip of garden, and I don’t want to spend a fortu suggestions? Sanna Whittle, Kirkcudbrightshire

Q

How about the Challenge 18V 31cm (£100, argos.co. comes with a battery, which will give you 20 minutes c time, as well as a charger. It also includes a 30L collec bag, and it folds down when not in use for easy storag JUST ASK! Want some design inspiration or got a garden question you’d like answered? Get in touch, including a picture if you have one, by email at moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS & BACK ISSUES To ensure that you don’t miss an issue and for the best subscription offers, visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk For orders, renewals, missing issues or any other enquiry, please email bauer@subscription.co.uk or call 01858 438884. For overseas, call +44 1858 438884 To manage your account online, visit www.greatmagazines.co.uk/solo Syndication syndication@bauermedia.co.uk H BAUER PUBLISHING President, Bauer Media Publishing Rob Munro-Hall CEO of Bauer Publishing UK Chris Duncan Editorial Director June Smith-Sheppard Managing Director – Sport & Leisure Steve Prentice Head of Digital Charlie Calton-Watson Chief Financal Officer, Bauer Magazine Media Lisa Hayden Modern Gardens magazine is published 12 times a year by H Bauer Publishing. H Bauer Publishing is a company registered in England and Wales with company number LP003328, registered address Academic House, 24-28 Oval Road, London, NW1 7DT. VAT no 918 5617 01. No part of the magazine may be reproduced in any form in whole or in part, without prior permission of the publisher. All material published remains the copyright of H Bauer Publishing. We reserve the right to edit letters, copy or images submitted to the magazine without further consent. The submission of material to H Bauer Publishing whether unsolicited or requested, is taken as permission to publish in the magazine, including any licensed editions throughout the world. Any fees paid in the UK include remuneration for any use in any other licensed editions.

We cannot accept any responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, images or materials lost or damaged in the post. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher is not responsible for any errors or omissions nor do we accept any liability for any loss or damage, howsoever caused, resulting from the use of the magazine. Whilst we endeavour to feature the latest products, all products shown are subject to stock. Prices correct at time of printing. H Bauer Publishing is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Ref No. 845898) and (Ref No. 710067) COMPLAINTS: H Bauer Publishing is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (www.ipso.co.uk) and endeavours to respond to and resolve your concerns quickly. Our Editorial Complaints Policy (including full details of how to contact us about editorial complaints and IPSO’s contact details) can be found at www.bauermediacomplaints.co.uk. Email address for editorial complaints: complaints@bauermedia.co.uk

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 89

This view through the Japanese anemones is one of my favourites

r a g e h t n i m ’ “I This month we take a peek over the garden fence at Sophie van Gerwen’s organic wildlife haven in Wiltshire * I share my

garden with…

You can follow Sophie on @oldhouseintheshires Insta

my husband, two adu children, Dottie the dog, Tilly and Tiger the cats, as well as hedgehogs, various slow worms, squirrels, bats, frogs, toads, newts, mice and an array of birds.

* My garden is… an old walled garden

Dottie looking fine wearing her dahlia ‘Penhill Watermelon’

with a wildlife pond, old apple tree and a cutting garden. When we moved in, it was so overgrown we didn’t realise just how large it was – an old greenhouse was completely hidden by ivy! We’ve cleared, repaired walls, and completely redesigned the layout with new beds and a small rose garden in the centre, which is the perfect place to sit with a cuppa.

I wouldn’t be without my trug, or Tiger the cat!

90 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

* My inspiration is… my earliest

memories of playing in the woodland that surrounded our house, and pond dipping in a local stream. I’ve always wanted to create a garden where wildlife thrives alongside lots of plants and when we moved here eight years ago, I finally could!

* I use my garden for… I caught Covid

in March 2020 and developed long Covid.

Although much improved, I still can’t return to my job as a teacher and the garden has become my saviour in many ways. On bad days it allows me to potter, looking at all the beautiful flowers or sowing seeds. On good days I’ve been able to move plants or create new borders with

I love a cuppa in the garden on bright and sunny mornings

GARDEN MAKEOVER

A perfect spot for enjoying the sunshine and Sunday papers

help from my husband. Gardening has brought a focus to my life when I didn’t have one.

* My best garden moment is… each

You can’t beat pots of spring flowers on an outside table

* My favourite plant is… pink roses.

I just adore them! My favourite is a David Austin rose called ‘Olivia Rose Austin’.

year, I love to see the wildlife that enjoys the garden, from the pesky squirrels who adore my tulip bulbs to the family of slow worms that live in the compost bins, and the hedgehogs arriving in autumn to enjoy the apples from the tree.

* My latest project is… We’ve just

My favourite area… changes with the seasons. In spring it’s the cutting garden as it comes alive with tulips, daffodils and ranunculus.

We also have bluebells, peonies and a huge tree peony that makes my heart sing!

and you will be rewarded. Think of the whole garden as an ecosystem in its own right, and even the smallest garden needs a range of biodiversity. If you spray it with chemicals, you won’t get the insects that feed the amphibians or mammals that eat the things that eat your garden!

*

* My current obsession is…

ranunculus. I’m so excited this spring as I’ve planted lots more!

* My best buy is… a shredder, bought

on Facebook Marketplace for £40. It makes feeding the compost bins so easy, and we produce enough homemade compost to mulch the entire garden every year.

removed some box hedges as they sadly got blight, so we need to redesign this area. I’d love a new greenhouse but we’ll see!

* My top tip is… encourage wildlife in

Going big with ranunculus

* What my

garden means to me… It’s my place

My huge dahlia ‘Café au Lait’

to just be; to think, to be tranquil, to find peace and to heal. When I’m having a bad day, a potter looking at anything that is new or growing can be the tonic that is needed. And sowing seeds or digging focuses my mind on that moment, which relieves stress and feelings of anxiety. You really can’t beat it!

Get in touch Tell us all about your garden by emailing moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk

We created Bee Alley for hibernating insects

My white alliums look like they’re from a sci-fi film!

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 91

GARDEN

ista

COFFEE WITH FRIENDS on the patio to a whole new level

S

F E ATU R E: K ATI E M AS T E RS. P H OTOS : S H UT TE R S TO C K , G E T TY IM AG E S, S TO C K FO OD

ome treats are so simple, but so good. And sitting in your garden in the spring sunshine with friends, enjoying a freshly brewed, aromatic coffee is one of them. And there’s a big new trend for hosting barista-standard coffee mornings at home.

The joy of coffee shops is that they’re not just places to grab a quick drink, they’re locations to relax, sometimes for hours at a time. And your garden mirrors that easy-going but vibrant atmosphere perfectly, especially if you’re a fan of outdoor rugs, squashy seating and inviting cushions, and table-top lanterns. So whether you want to treat yourself and a friend to a morning caffeine kick, or enjoy a spot of patio entertaining with after-dark espresso martinis, here’s how to brew up the ultimate outdoor barista-fest...

KNOW YOUR CUPS

Think all cups are created equal? Not when it comes to coffee! Just as with wine, a big part of the pleasure of coffeedrinking comes from its scent. So the best cups are the ones that tilt in a way that creates an impactful surface area of liquid, so your nose can take in more of the aroma. The shape of the cup affects how much tilt you get. Research from Brazil found that the best shape for nosewardwafting aroma was a tulip-shaped cup – narrow at the bottom, wider at the top.

French research also found that the colour of a cup affects taste. Coffee in a blue cup was judged to be the most mild, and coffee served in a red cup was perceived as being warmer, which is useful when you’re outside in a March garden!

92 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

Days get longer, life gets better ➣

OUTDOOR LIVING

MAKE THESE!

Patio

SPECIAL

CHOCCIE BBQ BISCUITS Whip up a batch of tasty treats on a lidded barbecue YOU WILL NEED ✽ 250g plain flour ✽ 6 tbsp cocoa powder ✽ 21/2 tsp coffee granules ✽ 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda ✽ 60g dark chocolate, chopped ✽ 170g butter ✽ 160g light brown sugar ✽ 1 large free-range egg ✽ 2 tsp vanilla extract WHAT TO DO 1 Mix the flour, cocoa, coffee, bicarbonate of soda and chocolate together.

2 In another bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then whisk in the egg and the vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and stir.

Chill the dough for two hours or overnight.

3 You need to bake the biscuits in a pocket of indirect heat (a space with no flames directly underneath the food) at around 180°C. With a gas barbecue, cook with one burner off and one burner on; with a charcoal grill, heap the coals up on one side.

4 Roll the dough into small balls and put onto a metal baking sheet. Place on the grill, close the lid and cook for 10 mins.

Leave to cool a little before eating.

ped nougat ify you Add 140g of cochokopies to be chew like your MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 93

You’ll also need a few different cup sizes to recreate the real coffee shop vibe. Cafe-style lattes should be served in a 200ml glass (double-walled to retain heat). Turkish coffees (extra-finely ground coffee and a dash of ground cardamom) and macchiatos (espresso shot, small splash of milk, foamy top) ideally come in a demitasse (half-size) cup; while the perfect flat-white cup holds a fragrant 160ml.

Enjoy the little things

KNOW YOUR BEANS

Instant coffee is all very well for a morning pick-me-up, but if you want your coffee to make a proper impact, you need to brew up the real deal. Buy whole beans if you have your own grinder, or freshly ground if you don’t. There are all sorts of speciality coffees out there (we’re fans of blends from Bath-based colonnacoffee. com and Cardiff’s hard-lines.co.uk) but the key things that you need to know are: ✽ The two most common types of beans are Robusta and Arabica. Robusta is slightly cheaper and often more bitter. Arabica is smoother but more expensive. ✽ The fresher the better. Beans will last well for roughly two weeks after opening, freshly ground coffee will only taste its best for a few days. ✽ For the perfect coffee, change your grind size to suit your making methods. Choose extra-fine for espresso, fine-grind for stovetop coffee pots, medium-fine to coarse for drip coffee, and coarse-grind for cafetiere. ✽ Store your coffee in an airtight tin in a cool, dry cupboard. Don’t put it in the fridge as the moisture levels will make it degrade, and the coffee will also soak up food odours.

KNOW YOUR MILK

You can use any milk to make a delicious coffee but there is a simple reason why coffee shops choose whole milk as their default option. It’s because the naturally occurring fats in that milk froth up brilliantly into long-lasting, buoyant, creamy microfoam. Get a milk frother and try it for yourself! If you use a semi-skimmed, skimmed, or standard plant milk alternative, you don’t get the same results. However, many supermarkets now stock a barista version of many plant milks and these will produce a decent froth as they contain added stabilisers that mimic the froth-producing fats.

KNOW YOUR BREW-HOW

You’ve got the beans. You’ve got the milk. Now all you need for the perfect cuppa is to boil fresh, cold, filtered water, let it cool to just below boiling, and get brewing.

As a good rule of thumb, your coffee to water ratio should be about two tablespoons of ground coffee to every 180ml of water. If you’re making drip coffee, put your ground coffee in your filter, pour on the hot water, and let the coffee slowly drip through. If you’re using a cafetiere, put the ground beans in the pot, pour on the water and leave to brew for about four minutes – enough time to draw out the full

6 ways to espresso your love!

SAVOURY BLISS

Add a whole new flavour note to a cup of freshly brewed black coffee by stirring in a tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary, harvested from your garden. Allow the chopped leaves to sink to the base of the cup and the taste will grow stronger as you sip.

94 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

NO-BRAINER TRAINERS

Create a talking point by wearing a pair of stylish sneakers whose uppers are made from 100% used coffee grounds and recycled plastic!

Rens Ori inals Arctic Black 9

coffee flavour – then plunge and pour. Once your coffee is made, it’s all about adding the right amount of milk and foam for the drink you want to create: ✽ A latte is one part coffee, three parts milk and a 1cm topping of creamy foam. ✽ A flat white will have one part coffee, along with two parts milk and the thinnest of milk foam toppings. ✽ A cappuccino is one part coffee, one part milk and one part milk foam. ✽ An espresso martini is one part cooled coffee, two parts vodka and half part coffee liqueur, topped with three coffee beans.

SMELL T

Evergreen E wulfenii has of lime-gree from March bizarrely sm freshly brew The milky sa poisonous a potential ski though, so d more than in

y and offee. itant,

OUTDOOR LIVING TRY THIS!

Style up your patio with an outdoor chalkboard, £10.95, display-sign.co.uk

Compost your grounds

Become a coffee boffin We’ve been drinking coffee for a long time now! It’s thought that coffee was discovered by a ninth-century Ethiopian abbot. One day a local goatherd mentioned to the abbot that his goats had become incredibly energetic f k b f m a small rious, the cided to berries. ted them,

PATIO READING

Coffee morning for one? The Coffee Trader by David Liss (£10.99, waterstones. com) will keep you entertained as you sup in the sunshine, the novel telling of the arrival of coffee in 17th century Amsterdam.

before pouring boiling water over them. The world’s first barista had arrived! It took several centuries for coffee to spread across Africa and the Middle East and finally – via the Ottoman Empire – into Europe. By the 16th century, it had infiltrated the Vatican, becoming popular with Pope Clement VIII. And in 1650 the first British coffee shop opened in Oxford. Today, coffee and tea share the title of the UK’s most consumed drink.

BEAN BEATS

It’s simple to create the perfect chillout garden playlist to sip your coffee to. Search online for ‘coffeehouse playlist’ or ask Alexa to ‘play coffee shop chillout music’. Ours starts with Finally M b P L h

Add coffee grounds to your compost heap or scatter them around plants to improve your soil. In compost, coffee grounds count as green matter – wet, organic material that supplies nitrogen and nutrients to your compost mix. To create a compost heap that heats up sufficiently to break down the vegetable matter but doesn’t smell, you need to build a pile that’s four parts brown matter – dry, wood-based material like dry leaves, sawdust and newspaper – to one part green matter.

Before you sprinkle coffee grounds directly onto the soil, rinse them first, as this reduces their acidity. Use a fork to work them into the ground.

SIP AND SAVE

Support the RSPB with Bird & Wild Espresso Dar Roast Organic Coffee.

Six percent of sales go ght to the RSPB to give nature a home, nd the beans are grown on forest farms certified as bird friend y he Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

6 x 200g bags, birdandwild.co.uk.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 95

➣

OUTDOOR LIVING

Add a flourish!

SERVE GROWN-UP NIBBLES Of course you’ll need some nibbles alongside your delicious drinks, and chunky biscuits are a must. Other perfect accompaniments include pastries, good-quality dark chocolate with 70% cocoa or higher, and dark-red or purple fruit such as cherries, blueberries and plums.

SPLASH IN A SYRUP Syrups are another option to elevate the occasion. They go best with lattes and a range of flavours are available. There are sugar-free options if you don’t want to add calories alongside taste, and The Skinny Food Company (theskinnyfoodco.com) does a zero calorie, sugar-free range of syrups with flavours that include Black Forest Gateau, Peanut Butter and S’Mores. Syrups do make drinks sweeter so use them sparingly, adding one to two pumps per cup. Just stir it into the coffee.

Enjoy three tasty syrups with the Monin Coffee Syrup Set, £5.29/3 souschef.co.uk

INFUSE MILK WITH SPICES It’s also fun to add subtle flavour via the milk. Simply add some spices before gently heating the milk, removing before frothing. Experiment with ginger, chilli, cardamom, nutmeg, star anise and vanilla, and see what you like. Try adding orange rind too.

Boil the water on the barbecue or firepit with a Colorado Kettle, £89.99 ivylinegb.co.uk

Make the freshest coffee grounds with the Origins Manual Coffee Grinder, £19.06 wayfair.co.uk

6

buys for yummy offee You don’t need a power source with the ProCook Milk Frother, so it’s perfect for patio use. £29 procook.co.uk The Heemburg Thermo French Press is insulated to keep your coffee hot for longer. £35.90 amazon.co.uk 96 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

These porcelain Royal Genware Tulip Cups are the perfect shape for lattes and cappuccinos. £22.56/6 drinkstuff.com

& WHISKERS...

OVER TO YOU

PAWS

...FINS AND FEATHERS. We love to see

your pets enjoying your gardens too!

Double trouble

Oreo and Harry have lots of fun in the garden, chasing and pouncing.

We’ve left a patch of bare soil for them to use, which seems to keep our flowerbeds clear of little presents. They also enjoy the warmth of the patio slabs in summer months. Rachael Samuels, Facebook

Dinner, dinner Batman!

Murphy loves chasing bubbles. We have faux grass, which is easier to clean with him around. Lyn Bryan, Facebook PRIZE PET!

Here’s Batman and robin sharing some tasty mealworms! I feed my friendly robin every day, at the same time as I feed my goat. I’ve always loved feeding the birds in my garden, and I also leave my flowerbeds untouched until spring so all sorts of wildlife can enjoy the seedheads. Janet Powell, Facebook

BED HOGGER I’ve added a small pond to my ga for attracting wildlife, bee-friend plants, and two hedgehog houses with hay and straw bedding. On o particular day I discovered Snowy crawled into one when the hedgeh wasn’t home! Linda Black, Faceb

YOUR PRIZE

✽ Tiko wins a BrushPod cat brush

This is my little muntjac friend Foxy. She regularly visits my front garden. Tara Witney, Facebook

with catnip, worth £35, courtesy of kubaandleia.com. It comes with softtouch claw clippers and a low-power (eye safe) three-in-one laser toy.

For a chance of winning next month, post your photo to facebook.com/ moderngardensmagazine or email moderngardens@bauermedia.co.uk MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 97

* F O R F U L L T E R MS A N D CO N D IT I O N S, V IS I T W W W B AU ER L EG A L CO UK / CO MP ET I TI O N -T ER MS H TM L

CO M PI L ED BY A N G E L A K E N N Y

My husband made this concrete sunlounger for our cat Tiko after seeing it in your April 2021 issue (Project Purrfect). Tiko loves to roll around in it on sunny days. H l lik l with the rainwate We’re now trying pipe to make a p tunnel for him. A Prince, Faceboo

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0+ 0 0 , 4 OLOURSE C LABL I AVA

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OVER TO YOU

Love your...

CROWN IMPERIAL

O Share your crown imperial on our Instagram or Facebook page

ur adoration of spring-flowering bulbs is unsurprising – they fill the garden with much craved-for colour and our minds with renewed positivity. And we’re hoping you’re lucky enough to have the regal crown imperial stirring into life in your garden this month, with snazzy crowns of pointed leaves above the jazzy orange blooms.

From its ancient origins in the Middle East, Fritillaria imperialis first made its way to Europe in the 16th century when it was collected by botanist Carolus Clusius and grown in the Netherlands, becoming one of the first ornamental blooms to be cultivated.

And crown imperial really is the stuff of legends!

One story tells of a Persian queen renounced by the king, who wrongly accused her of infidelity. She wandered endlessly and when she finally stopped, her feet became roots, her body a stem and her head a flower – still wearing her imperial crown.

Despite its fabled status and noble reputation, this stunner is super-easy to grow and even has a secret weapon – the flowers give off a slightly musky scent similar to the smell of fox fur, which helps to keep mice and moles away!

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 99

REPAVE YOUR

PATIO Put aside a weekend and give your garden a STYLISH REVAMP for spring

T

he hard-standing space where you sit and relax, dine and entertain is the heart of your garden and, if it’s past its best, now is the perfect time to repave it. Sound rather daunting? Don’t be put off as, with a little preparation and the help of a friend or partner, it’s a job you can do yourself in a weekend. Do it this month and your patio will have a fresh new look for the warmer months that are just around the corner.

F EAT U R E: J U L E S B ARTO N - B R EC K. PH OTOS : G A P P H OTOS /G LO B A L S TO N E PAV I N G, S H U T T E R S TO C K , A LA M Y, G ET TY I M AG E S

Start planning your lovely new patio!

First of all, calculate the area of your existing patio in square metres by measuring the width and length and multiplying the two numbers.

So if your patio measures 3m long x 3m wide, then the total area is 9m2. You can then choose your paving slabs and work out how many you’ll need. If you go for the same size slab all over the patio, then simply divide the area of your patio by the area covered by one pack of paving slabs, to see how many packs you need. Bear in mind that you may need to cut some slabs (see how on page 105) to get a straight edge for your patio area.

If you’d rather not cut slabs then look out for a paving range that comes with half-slab and other size options that will minimise 100

MODERN GARDENS

MARCH 2022

the need to do this. Or simply create some planting pockets around the edge instead (see page 20). It’s best to choose pavers that are the same thickness or thinner than the existing tiles, so your new patio isn’t higher than the old one.

DO A PRACTICE RUN

Once you’ve bought your slabs, it’s best to dry lay your new patio. This simply means laying out the slabs as you want the finished p look – do this on the existing patio and the size, layout and, most importantly, t you have enough paving slabs.

Allow for the pointing gap (the space between the slabs that will be filled with

grout). There’s no set size for this pointing gap, it’s a personal choice and what you think will look best with the type of paving you’ve chosen and some types of paving can even be laid without any gap to create a formal appearance – ask your retailer for advice regarding what’s best with the tiles you’ve chosen. Once you’re happy with the look, take a photo or draw a sketch the r 656 re uk

BIG PROJECT

Patio

SPECIAL

6

of the best easy-lay pavers

✽ ON-A-BUDGET CONCRETE If you’re repaving your patio on a tight budget then concrete should be your go-to choice.

You’ll be surprised by the variety of colours and patterns available. Stylish Stone Chantry Paving Patio Kit in Graphite, £325/10.22m2 homebase.co.uk ✽ SLEEK SLATE Contemporary but utterly timeless, if you want your newly paved patio to still look modern in a decade or more, slate’s clean look is a safe bet.

Brazilian Black Slate, L90 x W60cm x D20mm, £40/m2 nustone.co.uk ✽ TOUGH GRANITE Hard-wearing and resistant to most stains, granite slabs will stand up to plenty of patio parties. Opt for silver-grey pavers to create a light and airy patio. Silver Grey Granite, L80 x W20cm x D20mm, £41.30/m2 nustone.co.uk ✽ EASY-PEASY PORCELAIN Create a quick-to-clean patio with porcelain tile slabs that are hard-wearing, won’t fade and are available in a wide range of finishes. Marmi White marble effect, L120 x W40cm x D20mm, £57/m2 porcelainsuperstore.co.uk ✽ CLASSIC LIMESTONE Elegant limestone slabs are long-lasting and won’t date, and come in all sorts of tones from jet black to natural cream.

Fairstone Limestone Aluri Project Pack, £60.68/m2 marshalls.co.uk ✽ NATURAL SANDSTONE For a classic look that can be either rustic or contemporary, sandstone is a good choice.

It’s also known for its durability, strength and slip-resistance.

Marshalls Indian Sandstone Riven Buff, L60 x W60cm x D22mm, £65/m2 wickes.co.uk

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 101

Clear the area Let’s get rid of the old stuff! Your first task is to remove the slabs. You’ll need to enlist help as slabs are heavy to lift and move, and you’ll both need to don safety goggles and heavy-duty gloves. Once that’s done, the next stage is to clear out all the old concrete. You’re going to reuse the existing foundations, so take your time to minimise how much of the sub-base gets lifted with the concrete.

HOW TO LIFT A PAVER

1 Chip out the pointing around each slab using a plugging chisel and a club hammer.

This gets easier once you’ve removed the first slab as you can chip under the pointing.

2

PH OTOS : D I Y CO M

Use a spade to lever up the slab. Placing an old plank of wood on the neighbouring slab to help with leverage makes it easier, particularly with the first slab.

3 Once you’ve got one edge of the slab lifted, position a broom handle under the slab. This lets you roll the slab out of its position which is easier th Safety Goggl £1.29 screwfix.co Site Cut Resistant Heavy-Duty Gloves, £4 diy.com

Heavy Duty Plugging Chisel, 10i £5.30 wickes.co.uk

It’s simple with the right tools

Demolition Club Hammer £7.56 diy.com Square Digg Spade, £11.94 diy.c

Pine Broom Handle, £2.30 diy.com

102

MODERN GARDENS

MARCH 2022

Prepare the new base If you need to make any repairs to the sub-base, it’s easy to do.

In the trade, this ready-made mix of broken-up stones is known as MOT Type 1 Sub Base. If you need a lot then it’s cheaper to order bulk bags (£60.41/800kg, travisperkins. co.uk), as long as you have a roadside area they can be delivered to. If not then buy smaller bags that you can move more easily (£4.52/25kg travisperkins.co.uk).

Fill in any holes with the sub-base, raking it out so it’s Wacker/plate level, and compact it using a compactor, hire from wacker/plate compactor. £31.50/day jewson.co.uk

BIG PROJECT Verve Landscaping Rake, £31 diy.com

MOT Type 1 Sub Base, £4.52/25kg travisperkins.co.uk

Check where the damp-proof course is If your patio is next to the house, it’s vital to check that the surface of the finished paving will still be below the damp-proof course of the exterior wall. To find your damp-proof course, look at the wall around 15cm or so above ground level; somewhere around here you should see a thin black line of either slate or plastic running horizontally.

If your house is old, you may not see one – this isn’t necessarily a problem, just ensure the new patio isn’t higher than the existing one.

The correct gradient makes washing your patio a much easier job.

Her

s!

Using a wacker is easier than it looks!

HOW TO DISPOSE OF OLD SLABS If you can, find the old slabs a new home by selling or gifting.

Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle should quickly find a taker, just make sure you specify that they are to be collected.

Alternatively, you could recycle the slabs yourself, using them to create or repair a path, stacked up to make a barbecue station, or as the base for a new shed. Or break them up and put into rubble bags and take to your local tip, or hire a skip, which can range from £60 to £400.

Check the slope

All paving needs a very gradual slope so that rainwater drains away. If the patio is next to a building, this slope needs to fall away from the wall. We are presuming that your existing patio has this slope, and so do the foundations, but if you had issues with water puddling on your old patio, read on!

If you’re swapping textured slabs for smooth pavers, you may also need to increase the slope.

Textured slabs only need a fall of 12.5mm per metre but smooth slabs require 16mm/m as they will get slippier when wet, so you want better drainage. So if you’re replacing textured slabs with smooth, it’s best to adjust the foundations to reflect this greater gradient if needed.

You’ll need to dig out some of the sub-base on the lower side of the patio, then mark out the gradient on the ground. The easiest way to get the levels right is to use a spirit level and woode pegs, and you’ll find easy-to-follow instructions how to do this on B&Q’s website – search ‘how to lay a patio’ at diy.com.

Get it right from the get-go Square Wooden Fencing

Vitrex Non Marking Rubber Mallet, £5.99 diy.com

Forge Steel Magnetic Spirit Level, L1800mm, £19.99 screwfix.com

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 103

Walsall 85L Galvanised Builders Wheelbarrow, £60 argos.co.uk

Mix the concrete Now it’s time to make up the concrete mix that will be the glue that sticks your new pavers to the sub-base. Depending on the size of your patio you can make up the mix a large tub or wheelbarrow or hire a concret mixer (£20.40/day, hss.com). You’ll need a m of three parts grit sand and one part cemen For each m2 of patio you’ll need 83kg of grit sand, also known as sharp concreting sand, and 28kg of general-purpose cement. So for a 3 x 3m patio you’ll need 30 x 25kg bags of sand and 10 x 25kg bags of cement.

Prepare the mix in small amounts so it doesn’t dry out. Use a spade to put the sand and cement into your container, and stir in enough water to create a doughy consistency.

Check the mix is thick enough by moulding some into a ball (do wear waterproof gloves) – when you let go the ball should retain its shape without oozing water or falling apart.

Blue Circle General Purpose Cement, £5.15/ 25kg wickes.co.uk Sharp Concreting Sand Handy Bag, £4.76/25kg jewson.co.uk

Vitrex No Mallet, £5.99

Lay the pav

You can now start laying your new p following your design. The first slab lay down is the most important one known as the key slab. This needs to corner slab at the highest end of the next to the house wall. If this is your at paving, then start by laying just this one slab. As you get more confident, you can lay a few slabs at a time, if you like.

Get ready to make your mix

Just add patience!

T

eel

Joint Crosses for Patio slabs, £21.33/100 amazon.co.uk

Use the spade to tip some of your concrete mix over the sub-base, enough for just one paver. This needs to be 4-5cm thick.

Use the trowel to shape and smooth out the mix so that it’s flat for the paver to lay on.

1

Spirit Level, L1800mm, £19.99 screwfix.com

Dampen the underside of the slab by spraying with water from a hand mister, so it doesn’t dry out the concrete mix. Then lower the slab on top of the concrete mix – if the pavers are large, ask a friend to help you.

2

Repeat the process, leaving a pointing gap between each slab if required. The easiest way to ensure these are even is to use tile spacers. Continue until all the slabs are laid, using a spirit level to check the levels as you go, and making sure the slabs line up with each other.

Leave to dry for at least 24 hours.

5

Gently tap down the surface with a rubber mallet to fix the paver in place.

If you find this tricky, then your concrete mix is probably a bit dry – add a touch more water to the next batch and it’ll be far easier.

3

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MARCH 2022

Use a spirit level to check the paver is level in all directions, and at the same height as its neighbours, remembering that you want a slight gradient away from the house. Tap with the rubber mallet to adjust if necessary.

4

BIG PROJECT HOW TO CUT SLABS If your new design involves staggered paving or a pattern of different-sized slabs, you’ll need to cut them to get a straight patio edge.

✽ SANDSTONE AND SLATE SLABS

WITH A HAND-CUT EDGE Mark out the measurements onto the slab with a pencil and use a hammer and breaker chisel (Draper 1700W 18.5kg Breaker Hex Chisel Flat 30 x 410mm, £10.98, toolstation. com) to cut a shallow channel down the pencil markings. Split the paver by striking the part you want to cut off with a rubber mallet.

✽ PORCELAIN, GRANITE AND

SAWN SANDSTONE SLABS Mark out the measurements onto both sides of the slab with a pencil then fix to a workbench using C clamps. Cut along the lines using a circular power saw (Evolution Electric Multi-Lateral Circular Saw 220-240V, £49.99, screwfix.com) with a diamond-tipped blade (Evolution Masonry/Stone Diamond Turbo Blade, £19.99, screwfix.com) to around 1cm deep. Turn the slab over and repeat the cuts then use a rubber mallet to carefully separate the parts.

The kit for a pro finish

Fill in the gaps

The final step is to fill in the pointing gaps between the slabs. There are several ways to do this but we think the easiest and quickest method is to use a pre-mixed patio jointing product. These are available at most DIY superstores but if you’re after something a bit different, you’ll find a good range of coloured sweep-in grouts at londonstone.co.uk.

All you need to do is wet the slabs and joints with a hose on a gentle setting then let the water drain away. Pour the mix onto the pavers and work it into the gaps using a soft broom or hand brush. Firm it down with a pointing trowel, top up with a little more mix and firm down again. Sweep away the excess on the slabs and then leave to set, which should take around 12 hours.

Sika FastFix Self-Setting Paving Jointing Compound, £39.98/14kg, which will cover 20m2 Bentley screwfix.com Wooden Soft

Broom with Metal Handle, £7 wickes.co.uk

Tuck Pointer with Wooden Handle 1/2inch, £2.10 toolstop.co.uk

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 105

Duo

Perfect for small gardens

FRUI TREE

These clever plants grow two varieties on one trunk for DOUBLE THE JOY and they’re very happy to live in a patio pot!

F E ATU R E: G EO F F H OD G E. REC I PE S : HO L LY C AM M A RATA- H A L L .

P H OTOS : S HU T T ER STO CK , V I S IO N S. S TO C KF O O D

W

ow! Some clever growers have fused two varieties of fruit onto one trunk, known as grafting, so you can enjoy more homegrown joy in the smallest of spaces. You could have a red and a green apple growing on the same tree, or a dessert and a cooking variety, or early and late fruiting – clever huh? Duos are available for all the main tree fruits: apples, pears, plums and cherries.

Here at Modern Gardens, we’re huge fans of popping out of the back door and picking the freshest fruit for a patio snack. It’s just so much tastier than many supermarkets’ produce, which can be picked before it’s fully mature and flavourful to stop in-transit bruising and give the longest shelf-life. But the problem with many homegrown fruit trees is that you need to grow two (or sometimes three) different varieties of the same fruit type to ensure pollination happens and fruit grows, which we don’t all have room for. But duo fruit trees solve that issue.

For a good crop of fruit, your tree will need a container that’s around 60cm in diameter.

Choose a pot that’s quite heavy to prevent it from being blown over in strong winds which could damage the tree. Use John Innes No. 3 compost as this will help hold on to moisture and nutrients better than a multipurpose one, and it’s heavier, too, helping to keep the container stable in windy conditions.

If have space, duo trees can be planted in the ground. As they’re grafted onto semi-dwarfing trunks and roots, known as rootstock, they won’t get any bigger than 2.1-2.4m high and wide.

Growing one in a container restricts the rate of growth, so it’ll be smaller, so you’ve definitely got room to squeeze one in! ✽ Family fruit trees grow three varieties on one trunk, but they’re trickier to grow than duos.

106 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

‘El ar’

Your garden larder ‘Golden Delicious’ OUR FAVOURITES TO TRY ✽ Apple ‘Elstar’ and ‘James Grieve’, two

versatile apples with different cropping times. £29.99/3L pot yougarden.com ✽ Plums ‘Opal’ and ‘Reine Claude d’Oullins’, for delicious purple and yellow fruit. £35.99/5L pot suttons.co.uk ✽ Conference’ and ‘Concorde’ are two mouthwatering pears. £29.99/3L pot yougarden.com ✽ Cherry ‘Napoleon Bigarreau’ has large yellow fruit and ‘Variks Black’, sweet and dark-skinned. £26/bareroot suttons.co.uk

EASY IDEAS

TRY THIS!

You can train duo trees up and along a wall or fence as a fan or cordon

HOW TO GROW

Place in full sun and out of strong winds which can deter pollinating insects from doing their essential work.

YOU WILL NEED ✽ Container: Hardwood Tub, £69.99 crocus.co.uk ✽ Duo fruit tree ✽ Crocks or stones ✽ Compost: John Innes No. 3, £19.80/140L diy.com ✽ Watering can ✽ Fertiliser: Miracle-Gro Rose & Shrub Continuous Release Plant Food, £3/1kg diy.com

s a t i u r f e h t l l a ove m e r r a e y t s r fi e h its l l a t TIP In t u p n a c e e r t the o s p o l e v e d o t s t ng o r t it sta r s g n i w o r g d n in a g n i l t t e s o t n i t r o eff

WHAT TO DO 1 If the pot doesn’t have any drainage holes, drill 3-5 holes 2.5cm in diameter.

2 Place the roots or rootball of the tree in a bucket of water for 20-25 minutes before planting.

3 Place large, flattish stones, pieces of broken terracotta pot or similar over the drainage holes in the container to prevent compost blocking them.

4 Start filling the container with compost, lightly firming as you go, until when you place the roots or rootball on it, the top is 2-2.5cm below the rim, and the tree can be planted at the same depth as it was originally growing.

5 Unravel any long roots going around the rootball, stand on the compost and fill around with compost, firming as you go to fully cover the roots.

6 Water with 10 litres. Water whenever the compost starts to dry out and apply a controlled-release fertiliser to the compost every spring.

➣ MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 107

ARRANGE THEM!

A BIT OF ALRIGHT PLUM TART INGREDIENTS ✽ 500g block sweet shortcrust pastry ✽ 6-8 plums, a mixture of colours ✽ 2 oranges, juiced ✽ 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ✽ 2 tbsp caster sugar ✽ 225g mascarpone cheese ✽ 2 tbsp double cream ✽ 1 tbsp icing sugar (sifted), plus extra to serve ✽ 1/2 orange, zested ✽ Flaked almonds, for sprinkling Serves 8 WHAT TO DO 1 Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 5mm then use it to line a loose-bottomed tart tin around 20cm in diameter. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Remove the pastry from the fridge, trim the edges with a

sharp knife and prick the base with a fork. Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Bake for 20 mins then remove the beans and paper for a final 10 mins. Remove from the oven when golden and leave to cook completely.

3 Wash the plums, cut in half lengthways and remove the stones. Place cut-side down and make shallow slices across the plums without cutting all the way through.

4 In a shallow baking dish, add the juice of the oranges, the vanilla extract and the caster sugar. Mix to combine and then place the plums in the mixture skin-side up. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for around 30 mins or until the plums are just soft. Remove from the oven and transfer the plums to a plate to cool.

5 For the filling, combine the mascarpone, double cream, icing sugar and orange zest in a bowl then spread into the cooled pastry case.

6 Carefully top the tart with the cooked plums, sprinkle with flaked almonds and dust with icing sugar.

ms u l p e h t m o r f r o u g liq n i k o o c e h t e s U ing TIP v r e s n e h w t r a t e to drizzle over th 108 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

EASY IDEAS

TIP This work

s just as well wit h goats’ cheese if you don ’t like blue cheese ROAST THEM!

PERFECT PEAR SALAD INGREDIENTS ✽ 2-3 ripe pears, stalks removed, sliced finely ✽ 2 tbsp red wine vinegar ✽ 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ✽ 1 tsp runny honey ✽ 2 bulbs endive, leaves pulled apart, roughly chopped ✽ Handful radishes ✽ 50g Roquefort or Stilton ✽ 50g walnuts, roughly chopped Serves 2 WHAT TO DO 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. 2 Place the pears on a baking tray and roast for 10 mins or until the edges start to caramelise. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

TRY THIS!

Use different varieties of apples to create a really pretty rosette effect when topping cakes or tarts

3 In a bowl, make the salad dressing by whisking together the vinegar, oil and honey. Season and set aside.

4 Arrange the chopped endive leaves on a serving plate. Drizzle over around a quarter of the dressing.

5 Top the leaves with the pears and radishes and crumble over the cheese.

Drizzle over the remaining dressing and sprinkle with the walnuts.

MIX THEM!

SUGAR, SPICE & ALL THINGS NICE APPLE CRUMBLE INGREDIENTS ✽ 11/4kg apples – a mixture of cooking and eating apples ✽ 80g light muscovado sugar ✽ 120g cold unsalted butter, cubed ✽ 240g plain flour ✽ 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon ✽ 120g caster sugar Serves 6 WHAT TO DO 1 Peel and core the apples then chop into 2-3cm chunks.

Place in a large saucepan with the sugar and 1 tbsp of water.

Heat gently until the apples just start to soften. Transfer to a deep baking dish and sprinkle over the cinnamon.

2 Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a food processor add the butter and flour and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and pulse again to combine 3 Empty the crumble topping out over the apple in the baking dish and spread to cover.

4 Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden.

Serve with custard, cream or ice-cream.

d n a g n i k o o c h t o b TIP Using a e l b m u r c e h t s e v i eating apples g s e r u t x e t f o x i m palate-pleasing

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 109

PH PLAN

Add colour here, ther this spring and replace g PRETTY COTTAGECORE BLOOMS

24 FREE

* J U S T PAY £ 6 .9 9 P OS TAG E

phlox plants worth £29.99

CREEPING PHLOX can also be grown in pots and hanging baskets on your patio – just water regularly but allow the compost to dry out slightly between each watering.

Emma, editor Modern Gardens

110 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

W

ith the cottagecore trend continuing to make waves this year, you’ll be bringing your garden bang up to date with ripples of creeping phlox. Each dainty evergreen plant, with masses of itsy-bitsyteeny-weeny flowers, spreads to 60cm across and will quickly turn ugly bare soil into a beautiful sea of spring colour. And keeping it looking good is pretty plain sailing. So if you’re new to gardening, and want to dip your toe into the world of cottagecore, this collection is for you.

You’ll receive 24 FREE* plug plants – six each of ‘Candy Stripes’ with pink petals and white stripes, ‘Emerald Blue’ with palelavender flowers, ‘McDaniel’s Cushion’ with bright-pink blooms, and ‘White Delight’ with pure-white petals.

Plus, save up to £50 on in-the-green double- and single-flowered snowdrops with FREE Anemone blanda tubers.

READER OFFER

Enjoy success with snowdrops...

HOW TO ORDER

✽ GO ONLINE yougarden.com/RMG147 ✽ CALL 0844 502 0050 quoting code RMG147. Calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone provider’s access charge.

✽ BY POST Fill in the form, cut it out and post it to the

address below with your payment by cheque or provide your payment card details.

Code

Price

Qty

Total

480533

Creeping Phlox Collection – 24 Plug Plants worth £29.99 FREE FOR EVERY READER

FREE

1

FREE

630014

Snowdrops Twin Pack x 1 – A pack of 75 plants, 25 double-flowered & 50 single-flowered. Plus 75 FREE Anemone blanda tubers SAVE £20

£29.97

630014

Snowdrops Twin Pack x 2 – Two packs of 75 plants, 50 double-flowered & 100 single-flowered. Plus 150 FREE Anemone blanda tubers SAVE £50

£49.94

630009

50 Single-Flowered Snowdrops In The Green

£19.99

630010

25 Double-Flowered Snowdrops In The Green

£19.99 1

£6.99

Single snowdrops

Description

Postage (per order)

£6.99

Total

£

Double snowdrops

Order a twin pack, or two, of these single- and double-flowered snowdrops, and your plants will arrive in the green, which means they will already have leaves. This way, you know they’re healthy and thriving, rather than buying dry bulbs that you can’t be sure will grow. These winter-flowering gems will settle in over the coming months, then flower bigger and better year after year.

ORDER FORM

Modern Gardens, Reader Offer RMG147, YouGarden, PO Box 1468, Peterborough PE1 9XL

Title ............................................................. Initial ...............................

Surname ................................................................................................

Address .................................................................................................

...plus, FREE Anemone blanda tubers

...................................................................................................................

Buy a twin pack of snowdrops, and you’ll get 75 FREE Anemone blanda tubers, saving £20. Buy two twin packs of snowdrops and you’ll receive 150 FREE anemone tubers, saving £50. These vibrant, daisy-like flowers appear as if from nowhere in early spring, creating a carpet of colour in shades of violetblue, pink or white. Then just leave them in the ground and they’ll flower for many years to come.

Email .......................................................Tel..........................................

........................................ Postcode .....................................................

Payment details I enclose a cheque for £.............................. made payable to YouGarden with my name and address on the back.

Or debit my Visa ■ Mastercard ■ Card Number..................../..................../..................../....................

Start Date................/................ Expiry Date................/................

Signature .............................................................................................

T&CS: Orders dispatched within 7 working days. Contract for supply is with YouGarden Ltd, Eventus House, Sunderland Road, Market Deeping PE6 8FD. Offer subject to availability, and in the event that it is oversubscribed, we reserve the right to send suitable substitutes. UK delivery only. Delivery surcharges may apply for the following postcode areas: AB, DD8-11, GY, HS, IM, IV, JE, KA27-28, KW, PA20-80, PH19-50, TR21-25 and ZE. Images show mature plants. See website for photos of plants as supplied. Following Brexit there are a number of changes that prevent us from trading in N. Ireland. Full terms and product details at www.YouGarden.com. Offer closes 31 March 2022.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 111

BRIGHT BLOOMS FOR A

BLAZING Wake up your plot with radiant bursts of EASY-GROW PRIMROSES that will carry on shining till early summer

L

ick your patio into shape this spring with lollipop-like, vibrant flowerheads that’ll bloom from March to June p oh-so-strong stems that laugh the face of wind and rain. Bees nd butterflies are suckers for the ectar-rich flowers, which make a weet combination when planted n pots, as well as beds and orders, with spring-flowering such as tulips or daffodils. ur collection includes Primula yana, P. capitata mooreana, lii, P. japonica ‘Alba’ and onica ‘Miller’s Crimson’, all supplied as young plants, delivered from March. Order five plants for £12, or double up for just £3 more and get 10 plants for £15, saving £9.

Plus, save £21 when you buy three ‘Tempo Rose’ geums for £24.

Bag a bargain!

Primula vialii THESE PRIMROSES love to bathe in sunshine during the spring but they like to be cooler during the heat of summer so planting them in pots means they can easily be moved around to keep them happy.

Emma, editor Modern Gardens

112 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

READER OFFER

Primroses to make your patio pop

HOW TO ORDER ✽ ONLINE hayloft.co.uk/ROMG ✽ CALL 01386 426 245, quoting code ROMG ✽ POST Fill in the form, cut it out and post it to the

address below with your payment by cheque or provide your payment card details.

Code

Primula bulleyana

Primula capitata mooreana

Description

Price

ROMG07PC5

Primula Collection x 5 (1 of each)

£12

ROMG07PC10

Primula Collection x 10 (2 of each) SAVE £9

£15

ROMG07GT1

Geum ‘Tempo Rose’ x 1

£15

ROMG07GT3

Geum ‘Tempo Rose’ x 3 SAVE £21

£24

Postage (per order) £5.95

Qty

Total

1

£5.95

Total

Primula japonica ‘Alba’

£

Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’

Your pocket-friendly primrose collection includes all the varieties above plus P. vialii (left). Order now and you’ll get one of each of the five plants for £12, or two of each for £15, saving £9. They will be supplied as young plants and delivered from March.

ORDER FORM

Please fill in and send (with payment) to: Modern Gardens Reader Offer, PO BOX 2020, Pershore, WR10 9BP. Title ............................................................. Initial ..............................

Surname ...............................................................................................

Cheer the mood with jazzy geums

Address ................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... ........................................ Postcode .....................................................

Email .......................................................Tel..........................................

SAVE £21 A lively addition to any garden or patio pot, it’ll be music to your ears to hear that you’ll get plenty of bang for your buck for very little effort with Geum ‘Tempo Rose’. Just pop it in a spot with part sun/ part shade in moist, well-drained soil, pinch off fading flowers, and you’ll get oodles of single and double, rose-pink flowers erupting from pretty mounds of semi-evergreen foliage from April to July. With such a profusion, you can afford to cut some of these tightly packed, jazzy gems for indoors where they’ll look fab spilling from your favourite vase. Height 45-60cm Spread 30-40cm. Buy one plant in a 9cm pot for £15 or three for £24, saving £21, to be delivered from March.

Payment details I enclose a cheque for £.............................. made payable to Hayloft with my name and address on the back.

Or debit my Visa ■ Mastercard ■ Card Number..................../..................../..................../....................

Start Date................/................ Expiry Date................/................

Security code.................. Signature ..............................................

T&Cs Delivery from March. Your contract for supply of goods is with Hayloft, Manor Farm, Pensham, Worcs WR103HB. Full T&Cs available on request. All items are subject to availability.

All orders will receive an order acknowledgement. Occasionally the advertised delivery date may change, however, this will be clearly stated on your order confirmation. Offer available to UK addresses only. Reader offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotions or discounts. Offer closes 31 March 2022.

MARCH 2022

M O D E R N G A R D E N S 113

GARDEN MAKEOVER

OUR GARDEN CRU W

ith mixed paving, cloud-pruned trees and a profusion of blooms, this stunning garden in London is the stuff of our patio dreams.

Designed by Julie Toll (julietoll.co.uk), it blurs the line between hard and soft landscaping so seamlessly, we’re not sure where the patio ends

and the rest of the garden begins. “It’s inspired by a desire to combine natural materials with a structured design,” explains Julie, “and the overall look created is contemporary but not harsh or rigid. Natural stone and decking laid in bands creates a crisp, clean finish and then this is softened by gravel and freeform pieces of paving, strategically placed rocks, and soft layers of interesting planting.”

provides a soft overlay. “The grey leaves of artemisia ‘Valerie Finnis’ look stunning against the grey paving and silver decking,” says Julie.

Mounds of speckled, maroon geranium ‘Katherine Adele’ leaves add colour even before they’re covered with pale-pink flowers from May, while low-mounding grass Sesleria autumnalis steals the show in late summer when its blades take on a bright golden-green hue.

SUBTLE COMBINATIONS

CONTEMPORARY CLOUDS

The patio is made from two types of stone – oppdal quartzite and black granite – which, along with the decking, provide understated changes in tone. “It’s not a busy look, so this idea would work in a small garden too,” says Julie.

The staggered ends of the patio soften the strong lines as they reach the lawn, and foliage

A cloud-pruned tree gives a shapely focal point to the patio, its curvy shapes emphasising the linear structure of the paving. “Once the cloud shapes have been created, the tree just needs an annual prune to keep the form,” says Julie, “so it’s a great way to create interest in a relatively small space.”

Ulmus ‘Jacqueline Hillier’ imming Dark grey tiles makare tthweatsw er feature pool look like a sm

ria autumnalis

A decked area zones a spot for dining that feels warm underfoot.

114 M O D E R N G A R D E N S M A R C H 2 0 2 2

F E AT UR E: E MM A K E ND E L L . PH OTOS : M A R I A NNE M A J E R US, S H UT T

We’d be living our PATIO DREAMS if we were enjoying the spring sunshine in this seductively curvy designer plot

A style guide to the

outside

Industry expert and founder of Out and Out Original, Daniel Fairburn, brings you this season’s best deals on designer furniture. Visit www.outandout.com or call 02037 728 752 for more exciting deals and discounts.

Lisbon - Garden Lounge Set Give your garden space a modern and stylish upgrade this year with the Lisbon Garden Lounge set. It seats 5 people in comfort and comes in charcoal grey. It includes a comfy 3-seater sofa, 2 spacious armchairs and a rectangular slatted coffee table. The cushions are made from polyspun fabric, so soft to touch and have removable covers for washing, to maintain that fresh look. The frame of the lounge set and coffee table are electrostatically coated aluminium to give a durable and sleek finish. Normally £1299, it’s now available for just £799* when you quote your £500 discount code MGFEB22 at checkout.

SAVE £500 Palma - Corner a an Garden Lounge Set

SAVE £200

This luxurious and generously sized outdoor lounge set is made from expertly woven rattan and sits on a robust powder coated steel frame with chunky comfy cushions. It will seat up to 9 and comes with a matching table that has a tempered glass table top. Perfect for garden parties and lazy late night summer suppers. This contemporary rattan lounge set comes with a 1 year constructional warranty. Normally £1199, this stylish set is now available at an incredible £999*. To receive your £200 discount please quote discount code MGFEB22A at checkout.

Marbella - 5-Seater Corner Lounge Set The ideal addition to your outdoor space, this stunning lounge set offers comfort and style at an affordable price. Bang on trend in gorgeous shades of grey, this set is designed with a contemporary feel. It’s hard-wearing, woven in strong polyrattan on a galvanised steel frame making it virtually maintenance-free. The comfy cushion covers can be removed and hand washed with care. The sofa and armchair seats 5 easily, and includes a tempered, glass-topped coffee table so you can entertain outside with ease. Normally £999, it’s now available for just £799*, when you quote your £200 discount code MGFEB22A at checkout.

SAVE £200

To receive your discount on any of these products quote discount code at checkout at www.outandout.com or call 02037 728 752 before 16.03.2022. *Excludes delivery. Prices correct at time of going to press.