GARDENING

Secret gardens

As thousands of the country’s most beautiful private gardens prepare to swing open their gates this month, Elly West welcomes the National Garden Scheme back with open arms...

There’s something fascinating about walking around private gardens, admiring what people have created behind their garden gates. Whether we are gardeners or not, glimpsing into other people's lives appeals to our curiosity. The season for visiting gardens is here and all over the country proud garden owners are opening their doors to share their passion with others. Seeing real-life gardens, like our own (but better), growing and flourishing, is very different from the spectacle provided by a grand National Trust property or Chelsea Show garden. These are real, working spaces, and often the result of years of nurture, development and evolution, providing both inspiration and aspiration.

As a garden designer, and nosy by nature, I love seeing into other people’s gardens. Every space is different and there is always something to discover, whether it's a stunning planting combination, some kind of upcycled ornamentation, or an unusual use of materials. That’s why I love the summer months when there are so many of these secret gardens to explore that are usually kept private.

The National Garden Scheme (NGS) was founded in 1927, cashing in on the nation’s growing obsession with gardening, originally to raise money for district nursing. During that first year, 609 garden owners opened their gardens for a shilling a head, raising a total of £8,191. This year, 3,500 gardens will open across the UK and the organisation will likely donate around £3 million to charities including Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK and Carers Trust.

I visited Su and Alan Mills at their beautiful garden in Tockington, north of Bristol, opening this month for the fifth year running under the scheme. Both former teachers, Su is now a county organiser for the NGS and John is the driving force behind the garden’s creation. This is a design that takes you on a journey, gently undulating with gravel paths around an S-shaped lawn (S for Su), densely packed borders lining the pathways and with different zones to explore, unrecognisable from the overgrown plot they moved to in 2014, which was divided in two by a huge three-metre hedge. The new garden has been carefully thought out and strategically planned, as John explains: “When we retired it was our intention to buy a plot and create a garden. We had six months between exchange and completion on this house to plan it all properly.”

A keen photographer who thinks in terms of patterns, shapes and colours, John’s plans included sifting through his photographs of features, planting combinations collected when visiting other gardens, drawing out sketches, and even building a 3D cardboard model to show the positioning and heights of the many trees. The couple also filled four Luton vans full of potted plants from their previous, much smaller garden, and bought around 50 new tree saplings online.

“The placing of the trees was really important,” John says. The saplings are now grown and bring maturity and structure to the space. Some of the original trees were left in situ when the garden was cleared after moving in, including a large trachycarpus palm, and a pond also remains from the previous incarnation.

“We felt we had to keep the pond because it had newts in, and also the trachycarpus was a feature that we didn't want to get rid of, so the design had to work around these. As soon as the strong S-shaped lawn was in place, I was suddenly intrigued by a journey, and it dealt neatly with the issue of the pond, as it curves around it.”

The trachycarpus was also the starting point for the zoned areas. “This became the ‘exotic’ space and allowed us to start sorting out all the plants. Rose arches went up to create a summer walk, woodland plants went at the end. Then we created a second, oriental pond. The idea of ‘rooms’ helped with planting and organising, deciding what to put where.”

Nothing appears accidental in this garden. It’s full of thought, things to discover and the result of love, passion and hard work. Visit when it opens for the NGS on 10 and 12 June, 1-5pm. Admission is £5, children free. Tea and cakes are available, plus plant sales. Group visits can also be arranged by appointment from April to October. Email susanlmills@gmail.com for more information.

More gardens to visit

The following local gardens are all open under the NGS this month. For more details, and other open gardens, visit ngs.org.uk. 92 Church Road, Winscombe, BS25 1BP. Peter and Ann Owen's garden was created in the late 1970s in an Italianate style based on several rooms separated by walls and hedges, including two formal ponds. In June, the clematis collection comes into its own. Open 9 June, 2-5pm. £5, children free.

4 Haytor Park, Bristol, BS9 2LR. Pat Prior’s quirky, personal garden includes a huge range of plants from tiny sempervivums to a giant fennel. There are dragons for children to find, trellises made from bike wheels and lots of places to sit and relax. Open 19 June, 1.30-5.30pm. £3.50, children free.

Hillside Old Stables, 35 Westbury Hill, Bristol, BS9 3AG. Stephanie Pritchett’s half-acre garden includes trees up to 500 years old, formal walled gardens, kitchen and herb garden plus orchard and wildflower meadow. Open 18-19 June, 11am-4pm. £5, children free.

Penny Brohn UK, Chapel Pill Lane, Pill, BS20 0HH. These 3.5 acre gardens are attached to the charity’s National Centre, helping people to live well with cancer. The gardens provide a tranquil space, giving the people who visit the chance to explore nature and enjoy the plants, wildlife and history. Plants, teas and plenty of room to enjoy a picnic. Open 26 June, 10am-4pm. £4, children free.

Special Plants, Greenway Lane, Cold Ashton, SN14 8LA. Derry Watkins’ garden is on a steep slope with extensive views, created from a derelict field over the last twenty-five years. Gravel garden, orchard, bog garden and woodland walk are among the attractions. Also a black and white garden, and lemon and lime bank. Lots of plants for sale at the nursery. Open 16 June, 11am-5pm. £5, children free.

The Hayes, Newton St Loe, Bath, BA2 9BU. Jane Giddins’ garden is about an acre in size, with views over open Capability Brown parkland. The borders are a mix of shrubs and herbaceous plants at their peak in June, with lots of roses and foxgloves, plus a formal parterre edged with box. Open 11–12 June, 2-5pm. £6, children free.

Old Down Manor Gardens, Foxholes Lane, Tockington, Bristol, BS32

4PG. A Victorian walled garden contains the kitchen and cut flower gardens, and there is also a formal rose garden framed by yew hedges, rolling lawns and newly restructured rockery gardens with views across the Severn Valley. Open 15 June, 10am-4pm. £5, children free. n • ellyswellies.co.uk

Plant of the month: Foxgloves

These stately spires are quintessential of an English cottage garden and easily recognisable with their tubular flowers, loved by foraging bees. The commonly grown purple Digitalis purpurea is a UK native, found in deciduous woodland, moorland and heath margins, sea cliffs and hedge banks, but there are also many cultivated varieties grown in gardens, mostly in shades of purple, pink and white, but also yellow and rusty orange. Foxgloves are generally biennial or shortlived perennials, meaning that they grow a rosette of leaves in their first year, then flower in the second year, after which they die. However, some will keep going for another year or two, and they are prolific self-seeders, so once you have them in the border they will likely keep popping up year after year. Cut them back after flowering and they may well flower again later in the summer. Plants prefer damp soil and don’t mind shade. All parts of the plant are poisonous when ingested, so you may wish to avoid them if you have pets or children prone to nibbling things they shouldn’t.

A foot on the ladder

This month, Rupert Oliver of Rupert Oliver Property Agents shares his advice for first time buyers...

Taking your first-step on to the housing ladder is an exciting time, but navigating the property jargon can be a daunting process. From mortgages and solicitor’s fees to Stamp Duty Land Tax and help-to-buy schemes, here are a few of the important things to be aware of before buying a property.

Where to start

Generally, you are considered a first time buyer if you’re buying a property you plan to live in as your main residence and you’ve never owned a property before. The first thing to do is to find out how much you can afford. Use a mortgage calculator to get a rough idea of what you could borrow, and what your monthly payments might be, or speak to an independent mortgage broker if you’re unsure which type of mortgage will suit you best –there are many options available.

Traditionally, first time buyers have been looked at favourably as they come without a chain, but in the current market whilst it remains “hot”, our advice is for first time buyers to do as much due diligence as possible before starting your search. It would pretty much essential to obtain a Mortgage Agreement in Principle (MAIP) from your bank or via a broker, and be prepared to provide the selling agent with “proof of funds”. This will show the agent (on behalf of the vendor) that you have saved, can access the necessary deposit and have a MAIP to cover the remaining amount. The total amount will need to equal the cost of the property plus the Stamp Duty, if applicable.

Help-to-buy schemes

There are a number of schemes out there to help first timers get into the property market. For prospective first time buyers who are still saving, the government’s Help to Buy ISA can give you a cash boost and is definitely worth exploring.

For those ready to buy, the First Homes Scheme offers a 30% discount on the market value of new build homes. It is specially designed for first time buyers with a priority for key workers and army veterans. Although at present many banks are tightening their lending criteria due to the cost of living crises, many mortgage lenders will still lend to any home buyer who may only have a 5% deposit. This is under the 95% mortgage scheme where the government has agreed to underwrite a part of the loan. Again, eligibility criteria is in place. For example, it is only available on property purchases worth up to £600,000.

Additional costs to remember

As well as your deposit, there are other costs that need to be considered when buying your first home. So, what to expect? Stamp Duty Land Tax: As of November 2017, first time buyers paying £300,000 or less for a residential property do not have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). First time buyers paying between £300,000 and £500,000 will now only pay SDLT at 5% on the amount of the purchase price in excess of £300,000. Mortgage Arrangement Fee: This covers a lender’s administration costs. Some lenders also charge a mortgage booking fee to secure a fixed-rate, tracker or discount deal. Valuation Fee: Lenders charge a valuation fee to check how much the property that you’re buying is worth, which can be different to what you’ve offered for it. While a valuation is for the lender’s benefit to confirm the property is satisfactory for the loan, a survey is a more thorough inspection of the property and is of benefit to the buyer. You don’t have to get a survey done, but doing one can be useful to check that your new home is in good condition. Many buyers use the information gained in the survey to renegotiate on the property price. Conveyancing Fee: You’ll need to pay a solicitor to cover the cost of all the legal work associated with buying a home. This includes dealing with the transfer of ownership, checking paperwork is in order and checking whether environmental factors, planning permission issues or anything else could cause you problems. Land Registry Fee: When you buy a property from someone else, the Land Registry charges a fee to transfer their entry into your name.

Improving your credit score

A credit history is one of the ways lenders decide whether or not to lend you money. A credit score is a number that shows lenders how good you’ve been at keeping up to date with payments when you’ve borrowed money. Having little or no credit history can make it difficult for companies to assess you, and your credit score may be lower as a result. There are, however, a number of simple things you can do to improve your score. For example, paying your accounts on time and in full each month is a good way to show lenders you’re a reliable borrower. Keeping old accounts open and showing a long credit history can also help demonstrate your clean track record. There are some excellent websites aimed at those looking to improve their credit score and these are well worth a look. The big ones are Experian and Equifax, but comparison sites such as MoneySavingExpert will also offer helpful tips.

Keep an eye on the market

Finally, keep your eye on the area that you’d like to buy in. Use our property search to stay up to date with the market in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Chat to our team of experienced estate agents either via our live chat service on our website or in-person at our office in Clifton for more professional property advice.

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MAKE YOUR MOVE

The countdown is on to the end of the popular Help to Buy scheme. Vicky Dudbridge, a director in Savills residential development sales team in Bristol, explains why anyone who is thinking about buying their first home in the city would be wise to move quickly.

Up to a third of buyers of new build homes in Bristol took advantage of the Government’s Help to Buy scheme last year, according to new figures from Savills. Now, however, nine years after the initiative was first introduced, it is coming to a close.

The hugely popular scheme, which gives first time buyers the opportunity to purchase a new home with just a 5 per cent deposit, will officially end on 31 March 2023, however the reality is that Bristol buyers only have a couple of months left to take advantage.

This is because Help to Buy support can only be used on homes that are build complete by the end of this year, which limits its availability to only a few developments in Bristol. Given the typical length of time of the sales process from reservation to legal completion, we are talking about a matter of months remaining for buyers to utilise the scheme.

Help to Buy has had a huge influence on the new homes market in Bristol, helping hundreds of people take their first steps onto the property ladder that otherwise would have been out of reach.

Buying your first home can be a daunting prospect. Help to Buy has undoubtedly helped make the process more manageable for many by reducing the size of deposit needed from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. The offer of an equity loan of up to 20 per cent of a property’s value, depending on location, has also increased the pool of properties people can afford.

There is huge demand for new build property at the moment, particularly among first time buyers keen to utilise Help to Buy support, and homes are selling quickly, especially those within the most popular locations.

Paintworks IV is a prime example of such a development. Widely acknowledged as one of Bristol’s most successful regeneration developments, Paintworks has become one of the most desirable areas of the city in which to live. Paintworks IV is the latest and final phase, completing the community with a collection of new apartments and retail spaces. It has proved incredibly popular, and over half of the apartments have already sold off-plan, leaving just a selection of two bedroom apartments still available for sale.

The remaining apartments are situated within two beautifully-designed buildings set on an attractive courtyard, which will also be home to a number of new restaurants and cafes. The apartments have been designed to provide contemporary open plan living and finished to a high standard. Each one has allocated parking and some have a private balcony.

The apartments will be ready to move into from the autumn. Prices on those remaining for sale start at £335,000 and, if you are a first time buyer using Help to Buy support, you can purchase with a 5 per cent deposit, which could be as little as £16,750.

With the clock ticking on Help to Buy availability, anyone who is thinking about getting onto the property ladder within the next year is advised to start looking now to avoid missing out.

Savills specialist residential development sales team in Bristol markets new build developments and conversions across the city and its surrounding areas. For more information, contact the team on +44 (0) 0117 910 0360 or vicky.dudbridge@savills.com.

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