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FREE *JUST PAY POSTAGE, T&CS APPLY, SEE P126 20 IRIS BULBS JULY ISSUE JUNE 22 - JULY 26 £1W7O.R9TH8!* of ideas! pp How to grow rainbow chard ps 5



outdoCoelrelibvriatneg pilSneiamJsuuplrylees ReSsoFutnropereasarnhtmivedoevidelwlneianlinfdtagseGolbpfr&helaieTnvzeieunmdesr *BY DRAPER TOOLS COVER PHOTOS: FLORA PRESS, LIVING4MEDIA, SHUTTERSTOCK, JONATHAN BUCKLEY Have you noticed how in vogue gardening has become? From celebs THI S PAG E: G A P P HOTOS/ VIC TORIA FIRMS TON/JON AT HA N BUCK LEY, PELARGONIU MF OR EURO PE.COM swanning around RHS Chelsea Flower Show to garden design trending on TikTok, plants are the new cool. We’re seeing hydrangeas next to handbags in fashion mags and barely a day goes by without a mention of Monty Don in our news feeds. And it’s true that the pandemic brought a younger crowd out onto the patio – a survey last year* found that 54% of 18-34 year olds would prefer a wander around a garden centre over dancing the night away in a club. But I reckon the real reason why gardening is such a hit right now is that everyone’s twigged what we’ve known all along: that spending time in your outside space is simply lovely, and nurturing your own little nook of nature leaves you feeling far happier and healthier. Plus, of course, the secret that’s been so well-kept for so many years is nally out – that as long as you choose the right plants, having a beautiful garden doesn’t have to be hard work or require green ngers. This issue of Modern Gardens is packed with all sorts of ideas that embody this easy ethos, and I hope they tempt you to enjoy your garden even more this summer, whether that’s painting the fence a scrumptious colour, popping a new plant into a pot or simply pouring a deliciously cold drink and sinking into your outdoor sofa, feeling smug that you’re well ahead of this chichi craze for all things green! Do share how you’re making the most of your garden right now – the details of how to get in touch are just below. Editor Emma Kendell Discoinveyrohuorwgatrodkeene,pp6ch2ickens Create aafrteesrntfouolnoparsoisjecwtsi,thp4th6ese easy Share what you’re up to in your plot! You can email us at [email protected] and find us on Facebook Modern Gardens Magazine Instagram @ModernGardens moderngardensmagazine.co.uk

Inside this MONT 26 Pinch garden-designer ideas from this perfectly proportioned space. Garden makeovers 66 Chic shed update 35 Treat your garden to a smart new shed. 26 “It’s such a light bright Turn your shed from drab to fab and give *T&CS APPLY – JUST PAY £5.80 POSTAGE space” this garden treasure the love it deserves. A gloomy garden has been revamped 84 Tame your mint into a dazzling outdoor living room. If this unruly herb is running rampant in 40 “We could be a million your garden, here’s how to control it. miles from anywhere” 93 Sunny updates ON THE COVER Once a bare square of soil, this plot is now a secret sanctuary of exotic plants. Transform boring everyday items into bright additions for your outside space. 54 “Out here, the stress of work and life evaporates” 114 How to paint everything From humdrum to therapeutic paradise Add colour accents to your garden for a with tropical leaves and flamboyant blooms. fast uplift this weekend. ON THE COVER 102 I’m in the garden Outdoor living Take a peek at a vibrant plot in West Sussex. 39 Fiona’s patch 130 Our garden crush Share the joy of open garden events. It’s where we’d like to be this month! 50 Iced-tea French 75 ON THE COVER Simple projects Brew up a sparkling cocktail that’s welcome any time of day! 17 Living screen 52 Selina’s garden style Wheel this dazzling planter to the perfect spot on your patio for some leafy seclusion. Embrace the Modern Organic trend with these styling ideas and buys. 46 Restful oasis ON THE COVER 104 Great British Garden Party Bring a tropical touch to your outside space with these easy afternoon projects. Hang out the bunting, bake some cakes and invite your friends to tea!

FREE 59Keep your plot blooming 20 IRIS BULBS bright with these vivid flowers. £1W7O.R9TH8!* 6 p126 Lovely stuff to add to your outside space this summer. Colour Easy ideas Over to you... SPECIAL 6 Earthy pleasures 98 Q&A 68 Cheer up your plot with What to buy, make and do this month. Got a question about your garden? colourful patio pimps. We’ve got the answer. We 12 Slight brights LOVE 100 Ask the designer this! Nail this trend in your outside space. Your problem garden solved. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail 20 Purple reign 110 We love outdoor living 50in the summer sunshine. Energise your plot with a plum scheme. You share your garden highlights. 30 Clever with colour ON THE COVER 112 Love your foxgloves Choose a planting palette and use blooms to create a stylish outdoor space. Take a closer look at these fab spires. 59 Over the rainbow 113 Paws & whiskers Vivid blooms for long-lasting colour. Enjoying your garden with your pets. 62 Rule the roost 128 Nectar-rich buddleja Here’s how to keep chickens in your Save money on eye-catching blooms. modern garden and keep it intact! 74 SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 68 Pimp your patio ON THE COVER These bright updates will make your garden the only place to be this summer. 76 A sense of occasion Whatever summer events you’re off to, add a floral finishing touch to your look. 80 What to do in your garden Keep your plot looking good this month. 122 Rainbow chard ON THE COVER How to grow your own colourful crop. Best buys ✽ Treat yourself to a year of garden joy with Modern Gardens delivered straight 14 Blooming lovely to your door from just £2.99 per issue. Beautiful plants ready to buy now. 35 Smart sheds Treat your garden to an innovative store. 45 Lightweight sunloungers Bargain buys to get comfy in the sun. 87 Treat your garden to... The best plants to buy now with cut-out care guides to keep them alive! ON THE COVER

EARTHY DREAM PLANT GROW PICK MAKE BUY

EASY IDEAS DARLING PHLOX MAKE Crazy for LIFE cluttercore Dainty and delicate, what phlox lacks in size and LOVELY substance it more than makes up for in the There’s a new trend in town that’s fragrance stakes. Give it a moment in the all about embracing everything that spotlight, arranged with just a few sprigs of you love – which sounds great to us! something even smaller in a simple container, Cluttercore started off as an interior and it’ll reveal its astonishing prettiness. Keep trend but it’s quickly moved outside, deadheading and your plants will flower all bringing an eclectic mix of colours and summer long, so you can enjoy their sweet patterns and pretty much anything else charm for longer. you fancy into your garden. The perfect place to explore what you love and what DESIGN CRUSH you loathe is wayfair.co.uk, which has an The eco-conscious and ever-changing mix of garden accessories style-minded will covet this to suit all tastes. Happy hunting! pot made from recycled plastic bottles. Meadow Fabric SHADE SEEKER Eco Pot, £10.99 jardinopia.com A wide-brimmed straw hat can be pretty and practical in equal measures. Gardener Hat, SANCTUARY £25 shop.national SIGN trust.org.uk Use as a reminder to carve out someF E AT UR E: F I ON A G AL LEY. PH OTOS : GET TY IM AGES, LI VING4MEDI AWe quiet time. Garden LOVE Decoration this! Ceramic Sign Black, £5.25 PRIORITY ➣ wilko.com SEATING SWEET TOOTH Sit back in the sun and sip the A chair this inviting taste of summer. Sainsbury’s will encourage Lemon & Raspberry Cider, everyday moments of tranquillity. £2 sainsburys.co.uk Rattan Rocking Chair, £395 idyllhome.co.uk JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 7

Florence fennel PHOTO: GAP PHOTOS/JULIETTE WADE PHOTO: @LINDA_FOX_ILLUSTRATIONHome-grown Florence fennelResist yanking your bounty free tastes heavenly and choosing and instead, gently cut the bulb easy-grow variety ‘Romanesco’ above the soil, leaving the root in (£1.95/150 seeds, sarahraven.com) the ground, as it could resprout. means they’ll be ready to eat in Chop the stems, removing the just 14 weeks. Give the seeds feathery fronds, and slice the bulb plenty of space, well-drained soil to enjoy raw in a salad, or roast to and lots of sun and water. tone down the aniseed flavour. WHAT TO PLANT NOW! INSTAGRAM INSPIRATION Feel inspired to try sketching details in your garden with our Insta inspo this month, @linda_fox_illustration_. Linda explores the therapeutic qualities of nature through illustration with delicate drawings and paintings of flora and fauna, their simplicity somehow making them all the more ethereal and exquisite to look at. All the images she posts – birds, trees and blooms – feel like a calming, healing balm for the soul, but watch the intimate reels of her drawing to relaxing instrumental music and there’s your meditation done for the day. OFF CUTS DRINK ANYONE? CHIC CROCHET Deadheading is so satisfying with these Deadheads A mini can makes M&S has teamed on-trend macramé Garden Mini Snips, £5 watering patio pots an with a footstool (the new garden staple) shop.nationaltrust.org.uk evening delight. Coffee to create this gorgeous offering. Tactile Pot Zinc Watering Can, and versatile, it’ll work a treat in a modern, GREEN DREAM £16.99 hortology.co.uk Scandi setting as well as in a traditional Add a newly lush vibe with country one. Outdoor Pouffe, £99 Echinacea purpurea ‘Green FEED ME! marksandspencer.com Jewel’, £11.50/9cm pot sarahraven.com Regular feeding during growing season will boost bloom colour 8 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022 and keep the flowers coming. Vitax Organic All Purpose Plant Food, £6.50/1L sam-turner.co.uk

Candied MAKE IT! EASY IDEAS rose petals mTwIePthhoYolodeurtoocsacenrhyusetasaedlitsthoeiosa A LITTLE Make the most of edible rose petals by crystalising OF WHAT them to top cakes, bakes and ice-cream. YOU FANCY YOU WILL NEED PHOTO: STOCKFOOD ✽ 1 large fresh rose ✽ 50g granulated sugar ✽ 1 egg, white only WHAT TO DO 1 Pick your rose first thing in the morning. Gently rinse if required, then peel away the petals. Set your oven to its lowest setting and pour the sugar into a lidded container. 2 In a bowl, whisk the egg white until frothy, then add the petals and ensure they are thoroughly coated – you may need to do this in batches. 3 Slide each petal through your fingers to remove excess egg white, then place into the sugar container. Put on the lid and gently shake to coat everything evenly. 4 Remove the petals from the sugar, shaking off any excess, and place on a baking tray. 5 Turn off the oven, then place the tray inside and leave for 30-45 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to dry and harden on the tray for 10-15 mins. CLEVER CITRONELLA Keep bugs at bay in an uber stylish way! La Jolié Muse Citronella Outdoor Candle, £6.99 amazon.co.uk 3 BARGAIN BOHO BRIGHTS Embracing the boho vibe can be easy on your wallet as well as your eyes! WELL ROUNDED Joe Browns Reversible Round Outdoor Cushion, £40 iamfy.co FOLDABLE FANCY MOORISH MAGIC CARPET Zealous space-savers, rejoice! This strong but PRINT Boho Double Sided supple basket folds away neatly enough to Outdoor Rug, £29.95 slot away in a cupboard but one wrist swish Boho Tile Resin adandishop.co.uk and voila, a roomy trug in which to gather Planter, from £18 your garden bounty. Metal Collapsible Basket, each dunelm.com £25.04 VintagePisiShop at etsy.com ➣ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 9

EASY IDEAS Quick make! Sunshine sign paminiTsttt,hIaPjekuepIsftiwnygiokotuhopvmatheiranektiw!tehwaiitteh A sign this cheery will add a little bit of what it says to your garden! YOU WILL NEED ✽ Wood plank and fine sandpaper ✽ Paintbrushes ✽ Pink exterior paint: Ronseal Garden Paint in Pink Jasmine, £11/750ml diy.com ✽ White exterior paint sample pot WHAT TO DO 1 Scrub the wood with warm soapy water and leave to dry in the sun. Lightly sand and wipe with a dry cloth. 2 Use a large brush to coat both sides of the wood with pink paint. Repeat if necessary, leaving to dry in-between coats. 3 Paint on the letters – we think a little wonky is lovely but, if you’d rather, etsy.com has a range of stencils from 20p. PHOTO: FLORA PRESS JUNGLE JUICE Pouring vodka into a hollowed watermelon is still a good idea, but screwing in a nifty tap turns it into a genius one. Watermelon Keg Tap, £22 urbanout fitters.com 3 PICK-ME-UP PEDESTALS FULL SUNSET GLOW OF BEANS An orange lantern will A tall planter in a happy hue will A beanbag in a lively enhance the warmth raise your eye level as well as print could be your and glow of candlelight. your spirits. new happy place. Tangerine Oval Lantern, Remarkable Floral £14.99 tkmaxx.com HOT PINK Outdoor Beanbag, Pink Wire £149 joebrowns.co.uk Planter on Stand, £59 freemans.com TEAL DEAL CARROT TOP TERRACOTTA Elements Teal Planter on Wire Frame, Add colour and comfort to a TROUGHS £18 dunelm.com garden bench. Burnt Orange Embrace the warm and Bench Cushion, Three Seater, earthy shade of burnt orange ZESTY CHOICE that’s everywhere this season. Yellow Metal Planter, £24.99 homescapes Burnt Orange Double Plant £18 matalan.co.uk online.com Stand, £99.99 btfy.com 10 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

DASHING DIANTHUS rare | unusual | exciting PERFECTLY PERFUMED PINKS Cranmere Pool Letitia Wyatt BUY Sugar Plum Haytor 12 PLANTS FOR £12 Lily the Pink Bailey’s Celebration Devon Cream Red Carpet Widecombe Fair Diane Laced Monarch ACCORDING TO TRADITION, PINKS SPRANG UP FROM THE TEARS MARY SHED AS SHE FOLLOWED HER SON TO CALVARY ʷ˜˔ ˧˛˨˦ ˕˘˖˔ˠ˘ ˧˛˘ ˙Ѓ˖˜˔ ˦ ˠ˕ ˙ ˀ ˧˛˘˥Ϡ˦ ʷ˔ ˔ ˗ ˦˧˔ ˗˦ ˙ ˥ ˠ˔˧˘˥ ˔ ˔ ˗ ˨ ˗ ˜ ˚ ˩˘ʡ ˇ˛˘ ˛˔˩˘ ˘˩˘˥ ˧˛˜ ˚  ˕˘˔˨˧   ˗˨˥˔˕˜ ˜˧ ˔ ˗ ˦˘ ˦˨˔ ˛˘˔˗ ˣ˘˥˙˨ˠ˘ʡ ʺ ˗ ˙ ˥ ˖˨˧˧˜ ˚  Є ˘˥˜ ˚ ˙ ˥ ˚ ˣ˘˥˜ ˗˦  ˦ ˨˚ ˔ ˗ ˥˔˕˕˜˧ ˥˘˦˜˦˧˔ ˧ʡ ʴ˧˧˥˔˖˧˜˩˘ ˧ ˕˘˘˦ ˔ ˗ ˕˨˧˧˘˥Є˜˘˦ʡ Doris ˈ ˙˨˦˦ ˦ ˜ ˖ ˗˜˧˜ ˦ ˜ ˦˨ ˥ ˣ˔˥˧ ˦˛˔˗˘ʡ ʻ˘˜˚˛˧ ˔ ˗ ˦ˣ˥˘˔˗ ʦʣ●ʧʣ˖ˠʡ ʹ˨ ˛˔˥˗ ˣ˘˥˘ ˜˔ ˦ʡ ˌ ˨˥ ˥˗˘˥ is ˖ ˩˘˥˘˗ ˕ ˨˥ ˁ ˄˨˜˕˕ ˘ ʺ˨˔˥˔ ˧˘˘ʡ ˌ ˨˥ ˨ ˚ ˣ ˔ ˧˦ ˜ ˕˘ ˗˘ ˜˩˘˥˘˗ ˜˧˛˜ ˗˔ ˦ʡ ORDER ONLINE PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK CAPITALS ˃ ˘˔˦˘ˆ˘ ˗ ʼ˧˘ˠʶ ˗˘ ˃˥˜˖˘ ˄˧  ˇ ˧˔ 12 PLANTS (1 of each) YPDIA12-MG0722 £12 hayloft.co.uk/MGHY Name 24 PLANTS(2 of each) YPDIA24-MG0722 £20 Address P&P (UK only) £5.95 PHONE Total Please debit my Visa/Mastercard 0333 358 2006 Postcode Tel Card no Valid Expiry CV2 from Email QUOTE MGHY I enclose cheque/PO for ____________ made payable to Hayloft Plants Ltd Send to: Hayloft Plants FREEPOST RTGR-JAGJ-JETG, WR10 3HB Please write your name and address on the reverse of the cheque MGHY ˇʻʴˁʾˌ˂ˈ  ʸ ʼʿʿʶ˂ˁʹʼ˅ˀˌ˂ˈ˅˂˅ʷʸ˅ Your details are kept securely and not shared with third parties. You will receive a catalogue, welcome email and special offers, if you prefer not to receive them please call 01386 562999. For T&Cs – see hayloft.co.uk

EASY IDEAS SLIGHT brights FEATURE: FIONA GALLEYA brights trend gets bandied about every other ALL IN THE DETAIL PHOTO: AMARA.COMsummer, being conducive to sunshiny days. But this season’s offering is lovelier than ever Hunt for cushions with with muted versions of bright colours, with zesty yellow swapped out for deep mustard and playful detailing tangerine for terracotta. And by colour-clashing orange with pink, and yellow with blue, on a calm, such as pom-poms neutral background of grey, it still looks just as vibrant. Texture-treat pom-poms and tassels add the final hurrah. and tassels in a contrasting colour. Riva Paoletti Fiesta Rectangular Cushion Cover, STANDING GLASS ACT NEUTRAL TONES £16 amazon.co.uk; Global OVATION Shapely glass jugs Keeping furniture plain and simple Explorer Reversible Knitted and vases will add Plain black planters filled personality without being punchy. ensures bright accessories sing. Black Pom Pom Trim Cushion, with green foliage keep Choose clear glass so it doesn’t all eyes on the brights. steal the thunder from the Novaro 4 Piece Sofa Set, £699 asda.com £26 amara.com Black Planter, Spindle colourful pieces. Glass Jug, Legs, £30 argos.co.uk £12.99 homesense.co.uk; Glass Vase, £22 cultfurniture.com ORANGES GRAPHIC COLOUR & LEMONS Texture is key so seek out tactile FANTASTIC CLASH chenille, cord or macramé rather than standard cotton or linen. Cushions Achieve an instant swathe Wrap yourself in – Honey Cord, £7 asda.com; Halmo of colour and pattern with eye-shocking hues! Brick, £19.99 dobbies.com this Opera Multicolour Pom Pom Knitted Diamond Patio Rug, Throw, £74 amara.com 12 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022 £29.95 kukoonrugs.com

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Blooming lovely IN JULY Try our pick of the most beautiful plants you can buy now ANGELICA ‘EBONY’ £6/1L pot This darkest-ever Angelica sylvestris with almost black finely cut shiny leaves has dark purple buds that open to delicate sprays of pink flowers. It caused quite a stir when introduced at RHS Chelsea Flower Show! Height 75cm Spread 60cm. barnesnurseries.co.uk 3 INCREDIBLE ngelicas ANGELICA PURPLE ANGELICA £4.95/9cm pot £5.60/9cm pot We can’t get enough of Add height and drama with these huge architectural exotic-looking Angelica gigas, flowerheads and delicate whose domed heads of large fresh green seedpods dark crimson purple flowers are that contrast with the pink-flushed followed by fabulous seedpods. stems. Pop Angelica archangelica Height 2.5m Spread 1.5m. at the back of a partially shaded border. Height 2m Spread 1.2cm. claireaustin-hardyplants.co.uk sarahraven.com RAMP UP THE RUFFLES! Three plants for beautiful bells F E AT UR E: CL A RE WA LK ER. PHOTOS : S HU TT ERS TOCK, AL AMY, GA P PHOTOS/FR IEDR ICH ST RAUS S / NOVA PHOTO GRAPHIK DAHLIA ‘MANGO Add a MADNESS’ £12.95/3L pot touch of Dahlias are once again in vogue and ‘Mango Madness’ loveliness is our fave, with gigantic dinner-plate blooms over 25cm across! Its ruffled petals are a tropical blend of apricot with gold and pink undertones, guaranteed to add a juicy 2£L1p3ot 1£L6pot £17L.5po0t fruity punch to a border. Cut a few for a vase and they’ll become an energising focal CLEMATIS BELLFLOWER ANGEL’S FISHING ROD point as well as Let ‘Alionushka’ scramble among This nettle-leaved bellflower ‘Blackbird’ has arching stems of purple flowers above strappy encouraging your borders or cascade over a low has heart-shaped leaves and evergreen leaves. Give Dierama pulcherrimum a sunny sheltered dahlia to deliver wall. Enjoy mauve pink blooms tall stems of pretty lilac flowers. spot. Height 1.2m Spread 50cm. bethchatto.co.uk more fab flowers. early summer to September. Campanula trachelium prefers Height 90cm Spread Height 1.5m Spread 50cm. shade. Height 60cm Spread 75cm. sarahraven.com taylorsclematis.co.uk 30cm. barnesnurseries.co.uk 14 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

GIVE IT A TRY BEST BUYS COOL BLUE HUES LAVENDER ‘MELISSA LILAC’ July is all about inviting your friends and family over to dine al fresco, clinking glasses and filling your patio with laughter. And £2.99/9cm pot this pot of blue blooms will reflect the dreamy skies of a summer With aromatic leaves day, bringing calm and cool to your sunny garden. Brilliant blue and gorgeous lilac delphiniums take centre stage, their intense tones accentuated flowers, this Lavandula by silvery lavender foliage and trailing bellflowers. The colours angustifolia is a bee harmonise seamlessly, maximising the restive nature of this magnet. Height picture-perfect planting combination. 60cm Spread 75cm. The secrets to keep these plants happy Fill your pot with lavenderworld.co.uk peat-free multipurpose compost, give it a sunny spot, and treat it to a liquid feed every couple of weeks throughout the summer. DELPHINIUM ‘DARK BLUE WHITE BEE’ £3.99/9cm pot This compact variety has spikes of satiny dark blue flowers and an unusual white bee shape centre. Height 90cm Spread 30cm. secretgardeningclub. co.uk TRAILING BELLFLOWER £5.95/9cm pot With starry blooms from summer to early autumn, Campanula poscharskyana looks fab trailing over the edge of a pot. Height 60cm Spread 75cm. sarahraven.com JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 15

HILLIER GARDEN CENTRES Online Shop Now Open F m than 155 y a s, w hav b n g wing t p-quality B itish plants at u nu s i s in Hampshi . W a n w liv ing a ss th UK i tt y u . Shop now at hillier.co.uk W lR H l s at Ch ls a Fl w Sh w

Make SIMPLE PROJECT it this weeken LIVING for a lovely sense of LEAFY SECLUSION Switch grass ‘Warrio ’ Astrantia ‘Sparkling Stars Red’ Ipomoea batatas‘Sweet Ipomoea batatas Caroline Light Green’ ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’ Hedera helix’Glacier’ ➣ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 17

£460.70 YOU WILL NEED 1 Stand the trough on the plywood, mark 2 Treat all sides of the plywood base with ✽ Galvanised zinc trough planter: the position of the drainage holes, then a waterproof sealant to protect it from £189.99/100cm primrose.co.uk drill matching holes in the wood. the weather and prevent it rotting. ✽ 18mm thick marine plywood, 2.44 x 4 Stand the trough on the wooden base 5 With the trough upside down, screw a 1.22m: £85.69 edecks.co.uk and sink screws through the drilled castor onto each corner, and halfway holes to attach the two together. along each of the long sides. ✽ Paintbrush, and waterproof sealant: Gorilla White Waterproof Coat & Seal, £18.50 wickes.co.uk ✽ Drill, drill bits, screwdriver and screws ✽ 6 heavy duty swivel castors: £2.99 each bulldogcastors.co.uk ✽ Compost: Multi-Purpose with John Innes, £34.47/150L marshallsgarden.com ✽ 5 x Switch grass ‘Warrior’, £4.99/9cm pot jparkers. co.uk ✽ 3 x Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’, £18/3 x 9cm pots hayloft.co.uk ✽ 2 x Astrantia ‘Sparkling Stars Red’, £5/10.5cm pot rootsplants.co.uk ✽ 4 x Heuchera ‘Blondie’ (Little Cutie Series), £5.99/1L pot webbsdirect.co.uk ✽ 4 x Ipomoea batatas ‘Sweet Caroline Bronze’, and 3 ‘Sweet Caroline Green’ £3/9cm pot garden centres ✽ 5 x Hedera helix ‘Glacier’, £3.24 each/9cm pot ashridgetrees.co.uk FEATURE: EMMA KENDELL, GEOFF HODGE. PHOTOS: GAP PHOTOS 7 Plant the switch grass and crocosmia 8 In the centre of the trough, plant the 9 Plant the ipomoea and hedera at the at the back of the planter, firming the astrantia and heuchera, spacing them front of the planter, firming down as you compost around them. evenly apart. go, arranging the stems over the sides. 18 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

SIMPLE PROJECT TIP The plants wshialldperdefpeorsaition sunny or partially Crocosmia ‘Paul’s Best Yellow’ 3 Drill small holes 10cm apart around the outside edge of the trough base, drilling up into the trough walls. 6 Turn the trough the right way up and Colour fill it with compost, lightly firming as you go. SPECIAL 10 Fill any gaps with compost, firm down JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 19 and water until it starts to trickle out of the drainage holes.

and u r manu a ur Colour of this e ’s perfe y tone, th e p SPECIAL t t Ve 20 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

EASY IDEAS #2 CHOOSE PURPL-ICIOUS BLOOMS Fabulous There are oodles of flowers with purple flowers tones to choose from but here are our absolute favourites for a modern garden. ✽ Bluebell £18.95/sara2h5rbauvlebns.com Nodding flowers come in divi £15/taylors2clLempoattis.co.uk shades of violet blue. Hyacinth £5.95/wo9olcmmapnost.com non-scripta is perfect for a shadi spot, or under a deciduous tree. £19.99/cro2cLups.octo.uk Height 40cm Spread 8cm. £6.50/pete5rnbyuslsbesn.com £5.99/tycwm9ncmurpseorty.co.uk ✽ Clematis ‘Edda’ £8.79/5 badroebrioeos.tcpo.luaknts With rich purple, maroon-striped flowers from May to August, this compact variety looks fab in a pot on a sunny patio. Height 1.2cm Spread 70cm. ✽ Salvia ‘Amistad’ These large deep purple flowers on almost black stems love a sunny, sheltered spot in well-drained soil. Height 1.2m Spread 50cm. ✽ Bearded iris ‘Dusky Challenger’ This irresistible sun-loving showstopper boasts huge ruffled iridescent purple blue blooms that shimmer like silk. Height 1.2m Spread 60cm. ✽ Camassia Caerulea Group Tall upright stems with clusters of starry deep lavender flower add a bold colour fix in May an June. Numbers increase each year for a more beautiful display. Height 1.5m Spread 50cm. Trnenodwing ✽ Meadow cranesbill No garden should be without these Bringing purple tones mounds of deeply divided leaves into your outside space and gently ruffled soft violet flowers. Geranium pratense ‘Cloud Nine’ flowers May-June and gets a second wind August-September. Height and Spread 40cm. ✽ Sea holly ‘Blue Steel’ ➣ Add texture to your border with spiny dark green leaves and spires of spiky steely blue purple flowers. Eryngium is well adapted to hot and dry conditions. Height 90cm Spread 45cm. JULY 2022 MODERN GA

#3 SETTLE ON A GARDEN DESIGNER: REBECCA GOVIER. deTveIlPopiDns eathepseuspnturnorynpsglpeeosftot lcioalgoeur COLOUR SCHEME SPONSOR: MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT Cercis canadensis Chosen your purple blooms? Your next step is to decide G AR DE N DE S I G NER: HAY YOUNG HWANG. PHOTO: JONATHAN BUCKLEY. SELF-SEEDING CUT FLOWER COLLECTION, SARAHRAVEN.COM ‘Forest Pansy’ what other colours you’ll combine them with, and your choice will have a huge effect on the outcome. Take SPONSORS: LG ELECTRONICS Heuc era villosa inspiration from these colour schemes. ‘Palace Purple’ ✽ Primarily purple Restricting your palette to primarily purple will instil a sense of calm and wellbeing. Purple comes in so many shades ranging from soft mauves to lilacs, deep blues, indigo and violet, and choosing a range of different hues and flower shapes will ensure it won’t be too matchy-matchy. ✽ Opposites attract Accentuate the power of purple by pairing it with yellow. Being polar opposites on the colour wheel, these complementary colours never fail to look good together. The effect is so dramatic, your garden will be filled with energy! ✽ Soft summer neutrals Want an effortless, laid-back and relaxing look? Pair purple and mauve flowers with straw-coloured ornamental grasses. If you like to use your garden to de-stress, then this combination is for you! ✽ Chelsea choice The trend for zingy oranges and purples has been established as a firm favourite with Chelsea Flower Show designers. The colours make each other pop, creating an eye-catching spectacle that will add oodles of energy and excitement to your plot. ✽ Cool and crisp Purple, blue, pink and white flowers can be combined to great effect in a cool-toned planting scheme. These harmonious hues inspire a sense of calm and peace, perfect if your garden is an escape from your hectic life. 22 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

EASY IDEAS #4 ADD AN #5 TRANSFORM OLD FURNITURE UNDERSTOREY OF TONE-PERFECT Whether you’re updating outdoor furniture or upcycling interior stuff LEAVES for a new life in the garden, turn wood wonderful with a coat of Deepen your palette with exterior paint in a sublime shade. Cuprinol Garden Shades low-maintenance foliage. Leafy Protek Wood Stain Purple Pansy, £12/1L loveliness & Protect Amaranth, wilko.com £15.45/1L wood- ✽ Black elder ‘Eva’ finishes-direct.com Lacy purple, almost black foliage provides the perfect foil for th Ronseal Garden Purple Berry Matt Metal & Wood, clusters of tiny pale pink. For the st £12.99/hedge3sLdipreoctt.co.uk £11/750ml diy.com leaf colour, grow Sambucus nigra in full sun. Height 3m Spread 2m. Rust-Oleum Chalky Garden Paint Lilac Wine, ✽ Foamy bells ‘Solar Eclipse’ £18.99/750ml sprayster.com We love these rich purple brown scalloped leaves with vibrant lime green edges. This Heucherella bear sprays of small starry white flow rs in late spring and early summer. £7.50/heuche1rLahpooltics.co.uk The garden market is awash with lovely Height 25cm Spread 35cm. purple accessories right now… ✽ Stonecrop ‘Purple Emperor’ Lilac Emblem Outdoor Planter, This succulent foliage intensifies to £15.50 wilko.com a deep purple as the plant mat res. From August to October, this Hylotelephium telephium bears masses of star-shaped purplish £7.50/bethc1hLaptotot.co.uk Baoli Plum Woven pink flowers too. Height 50cm Throw, £40 dunelm.com Spread 40cm. ✽ Houseleek ‘Pacific Purple Shad ’ With imposing large rosettes t are Kent & Stowe Metal Watering deep purple in spring, fading to a Can Deep Violet, £27.60 thegarden lighter dusky purple in summer, range.co.uk sempervivums are perfect for a pot £2.75/with good drainage. Height 8cm Spread 15cm. farmya9rdcnmuprsoetries.co.uk ✽ Painted lady fern Piccolino Charcoal The Mighty-B Beanbag BBQ Lavender, £59.95 Chair Outdoor Berry, £109 Newly emerging fronds have rich gardenoasis.co.uk aplaceforeverything.co.uk purple bronze tones that become greener with a silver dusting as the Newquay Indoor Outdoor Rug mature. Athyrium niponicum ‘Ursu Aubergine, £44.99 landofrugs.com Red’ will brighten up a shady spot £9.99/larch2coLttpaogte.co.uk beautifully. Height 40cm Spread 1.2m. ✽ Vervain ‘Bampton’ Palm Leaves Purple Quick Dry Outdoor Cushion, These small purple-tinted leaves £11.95 roomsbyme.co.uk look lovely with the light and ir Fiori Steel Garden Bistro Set Purple, lavender pink flower spikes. Thi £129.99 beliani.co.uk variety of Verbena officinalis is £6/barnesn1Lurpsoetries.co.uk a rising star in the plant world! Height 1m Spread 75cm. ✽ Redbud ‘Ruby Falls’ £64.95/charella5Lgaprodtens.co.uk Solar Purple ➣ This beautiful weeping variet Woven Rattan Cercis canadensis has colourf Lantern, £10.99 JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 23 heart-shaped leaves that eme glow.co.uk ruby red and turn dark purple in summer. Height and Spread 2m

#7 INTRODUCE A ZESTY Bold & LIME GREEN CONTRAST brilliant Pinch this garden-designer trick to make the purples appear more colourful by matching it with chartreuse foliage and flowers. Be g on opposite sides of the colour wheel, these two tones create a dynami iring, each making the other one pop. Hydrangea Shuttlecock f rn ( euc ia ‘Little Lime’, struthiopteris), £4 9 / m £12.99/3L pot pot j arkers . k dge direct. co Lamb’s ear (Stachys b zantin , £4.90/9cm pot shireplants co.uk Carex elata ‘Aurea’, £10/2L pot knollgardens.co.uk Hosta ‘Pu pl Heart’, £11.9 9 pot crocus.co.uk Cornus sericea ‘Kelsey’s Gold’ 24 M O D E R N G A R D E N S J U LY 2 02 2

#8 BLAG EASY IDEAS OODLES OF EASY-PEASY TRY THIS! COLOUR Fashion sculptural Ceanothus are ridiculously easy shrubs to stakes with chicken wire grow and you’ll be rewarded with the most incredible display of purple blue sprayed purple flowers that shine against the evergreen foliage. Go for ‘Gloire de Versailles’, which #10 CLINCH has a lovely rounded shape, flowers over THE LOOK an impressively long summer period, has WITH A great drought tolerance, and bees and SHOWSTOPPER butterflies love the sweetly scented AGAPANTHUS nectar. It’ll flower best in full sun and prefers a sheltered spot, away from strong No sunny garden should be without winds, so a south-facing border would be agapanthus, and ‘Poppin Purple’ captures the perfect. Height and Spread 1.5m. Very-Peri look perfectly. The colour of the Californian lilac ‘Gloire de Versailles’, violet blooms is intense, and just wait till you £14.50/2L pot burncoose.co.uk see the purple black buds! It flowers from early to late summer and is hardy in most of the UK, #9 BLEND WITH HINTS- Classy so long as you have good drainage and & grassy sunshine, giving you years of pleasure in a pot or a border. Height and Spread 60cm. The finishing touch is a subtle swish of goo looking grass Agapanthus ‘Poppin Purple’, £21.99/3L pot blades. Take your pick from these stress-free stunners. primrose.co.uk ✽ Switch grass £5.99/ow l1lsLgpc.octo.uk JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 25 Emerging green leaves soon turn a d ep purple red at the tips, then the colour tr els downwards. Panicum virgatum ‘Purple Bree e’ lso has airy purple and green flowers from late summer. Height 1m Spread 50cm. ✽ Pennisetum ‘Hameln’ £7.99/cro9ccums.cpo.outk Fountain grass has the fluffiest squirrel-tail flowers with a barely-there purple tinge that catch the sunny rays of summer and autumn a treat. It’s good to gro it n a pot as it does like to spread. Height 1.2m Spre 1 ✽ Chinese silver grass £11.99/o g 2rLdepnost.co.uk With arching mounds of slender green foliage with plumes of flowers in sha of purple and pink, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Ferner Osten’ is a bit of a show-off and will add drama to a border. Height 1.5m Spread 1m. ✽ Korean feather reed grass We can’t get enough of this gently £7.50/1L poctob.eutkhchatto. arching fountain of grey green foliage from which tall fluffy grey green flow eads i a touch of mauve emerge in summer. Cal tis brachytricha thrives in sun. Height 1.5m Spread m. ✽ Tufted fescue £7.99/rhsp9lacnmtsp.coot.uk With tufts of finely textured blue green foliage topped with long stems carrying delicate feathered violet-tinted purplish flowers, Festuca amethystina will add interest throughout the year. Height 60cm Spread 40cm.

“It’s such a light bright space” Sarah Bradley and Kevin Wilson’s gloomy London garden has been revamped into a dazzling outdoor LIVING ROOM BEFORE Dark tairnedd galnodomlayc,ktihneg ssptyalcee was FEATURE: GAP PHOTOS/KIRSTY MCNEIL-O’CONNOR. PHOTOS: GAP PHOTOS/ SMART IDEAS Love PAUL DEBOIS. GARDEN DESIGN: THE DISTINCTIVE GARDENER/NICK GOUGH TO STEAL purple too? A N D D OUG LA S VI E I R A WW W.T HED IST INCTIV EG ARDENE R.CO M HIDE YOUR SHED Turn to with a mature olive tree. p20 TOP-DRESS RAISED BEDS WITH FINE GRAVEL for a sleek finish. EDGE BORDERS WITH Euonymus japonica for a formal twist. 26 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

Get clever GARDEN MAKEOVER with your planting palette, GARDEN p30 makeover Pro Range Porcelain Italiano Paving 600 x 600 x 20mm, from £35.25/m2, pavingsuperstore.co.uk For years, Sarah Bradley and partner the side return to create a large kitchen-diner SOOTHING SPACE Kevin Wilson were happy with their at the back of the house with floor-to-ceiling standard decking-and-lawn garden and windows and bifold doors to the garden,” Sarah, managing director of a travel company, it occupied a lowly position on their list explains Sarah. “It brought the garden into and Kevin, a business analyst for a bank, of priorities. “We’ve lived here for 13 years, focus, both because we spent more time in looked online for a garden designer who could and bought the house because it was a the kitchen and because the new doors and transform their out-of-date plot into an handsome period property and was handy for windows offered an expansive and permanent outside space that matched their swish new schools and local amenities,” says Sarah. view outside. Aesthetically, I actually found it extension. “We wanted a garden that was quite stressful – the view gave no real pleasure restful and beautiful to look at to enhance the But a kitchen extension to their late and only served to remind me that we needed experience of being in the kitchen-diner,” says Victorian London home changed all that. to do some work on the garden!” Sarah. “A garden we wanted to spend time in “We renovated the ground floor, building into throughout the year.” ➣ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 27

Time for a new shed? Turn to p35 Himalayan birch Dryopteris erythrosora ‘Brilliance’ Keovuintdoaonrd lSivainraghdacaynannodwniegnhjtoy OUR GARDEN Euonymus japonicus Green Spire’ PL AN The couple’s search led them to The tree. “Nick and Douglas also suggested painting LOCATION Distinctive Gardener (thedistinctivegardener. it in an anthracite colour and, miraculously, the London com), owned and run by Nick Gough and shed now disappears!” says Sarah. Douglas Vieira. “Our brief from the client was THE LOOK simply to produce a space they could entertain By moving the shed to the other side of the Contemporary in,” says Nick, “a real other room to the house.” garden, the view from indoors is vastly improved too. “The main sightline from the kitchen table SITE Although the brief was pretty open, the used to be towards the garden shed,” explains Size 12 x 5m challenges were considerable. “It’s a relatively Sarah. But now three silver birch trees planted in Faces North small, dark north-facing garden with a huge giant terracotta pots fill the view, also providing Soil London clay with added top soil brick wall,” explains Sarah. “We needed storage an elegant solution to the imposing wall. “They & composted manure as our four bikes simply didn’t fit in the shed and lose their leaves in the winter – initially I they were cluttering up the garden and making wondered whether I would like this as they are OUR BUDGET it untidy. Also, we have no rear or side access, so such a key feature and so visible from the house, Design, plans & labour £11,250 everything had to come through the house.” but we love watching them change as the seasons progress,” says Sarah. “They’re also a Clearance £2,000 But Nick and Douglas soon unleashed their lovely way to watch the weather, particularly Lighting £3,000 creative talents on this compact urban plot to when they bend and sway in a storm.” Irrigation £550 turn it into something special. “They took our Fencing & cladding £3,500 fairly bare-bones brief and got to grips with it PEPPY PLANTING Paving & decking £7,000 quickly and we felt we could trust them. And we Shed unit assembled & have been completely delighted with the The existing raised bed was rebuilt in brick, painted £1,800 results,” smiles Sarah. rendered and painted white. This forms the Corten steel panel £500 backdrop for a bespoke floating cedar bench Floating bench £600 SMART IDEAS supported by a new frame, which matches the Raised bed £800 slatted fencing. The bed was filled with textured Planters & pots £1,000 Nick and Douglas found a number of creative and scented planting in a peaceful palette of Plants £9,000 solutions to maximise the space. “Because it’s green foliage with white flowers. Evergreen TOTAL: £41,000 a north-facing garden, it doesn’t get a lot of aromatic thyme, mixed with Mexican fleabane, light in winter, so we decided to use large, is at the front, nearest the seating, with tall white HOW LONG IT TOOK pale-coloured paving that would bounce light echinacea ‘PowWow White’ at the rear. “The Clearance 2 days Paving 4 days around the whole space,” says Nick. flowers last through to November and even December so we still have colour into winter,” Fencing 2 days Golden-toned cedar fencing all around the says Sarah, “and the jasmine is gorgeous from Corten steel panels 1 day perimeter added further brightness. The storage early summer through to autumn.” Lighting 3 days Shed 2 days issue was solved by replacing the old shed with a more spacious cabin, tucked behind an olive Irrigation 1 day Raised bed 2 days Planting 2 days TOTAL: 19 days 28 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

THE BIRCH BACKDROP Paint your GARDEN MAKEOVER wall too! looks great year round with Find out how CLEVER LIGHTING bright green leaves in spring on p114 adds ambience whether and summer and a beautiful dining indoors or out. ethereal glow in winter. BOLD BELIZE BLUE BEFORE Valspar Masonry Paint (£45/10L, diy.com) is a punchy accent for Italian cypress ‘Stricta’ trees. Block planting of Carex elata ‘Aurea’ adds seem slightly fTeehle-gpouordplfeeatatubrlee iwnatshethgearodnelny further zing. “Its fresh golden green colour stays counter-intuitive. vibrant through winter, adding much-needed They showed us a socialising, eating, reading and sunbathing. But colour to this north-facing space,” says Nick. mock-up on their design even in the midst of winter, when you walk into program, but we trusted them. We’re the kitchen in the morning, it’s always lovely to COLOUR ME HAPPY delighted with the result and visitors always see the garden. And when we have guests comment on it.” round for dinner we always put the garden lights Sarah and Kevin love to travel so the designers The existing purple garden table was on, which adds a real wow factor. The backlit added a taste of the Mediterranean with three incorporated into the design, a chance purchase Corten steel panel looks just stunning at night!” Cypress trees in large terracotta pots against a by Sarah a decade ago. “I originally chose it on a feature wall painted in Valspar’s Belize Blue, complete whim,” says Sarah. “I love the colour adding another pop of colour to the space all and it always makes me feel happy.” year round. “It was Nick and Douglas’ The couple couldn’t be more pleased with suggestion to turn an existing bit of wall into their new garden. “We love the design,” Sarah more of a feature and paint it in a standout says. “It’s contemporary and calm and really colour,” says Sarah. “Nick thought he was going complements the kitchen/diner. There is a to have to work hard to persuade us, and it did much better connection between the house and the garden and it feels like an extension of our living space. Obviously in the warmer months we spend a lot of time in the garden, LANT ILLUMINATING TONES of white, yellow and zesty greens brighten this once dismally dark garden… EAVE Leopard plant ‘Desdemona’ Mexican fleabane Carex elata ‘Aurea’ Hydrangea ‘Little Lime’ Echinacea ‘PowWow White’ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 29

Phlox Astrantia ‘Blue Moon’ ‘Sparkling Star White’ Echinacea Pinus mugo ‘Delicious Candy’ Gnom’ EMBRACE BRIGHT COLOUR-BLOCKING Planting blocks of bold blooms in vibrant contrasting colours makes the tones look even brighter, stimulating your senses, and we all need a bit of that! To make this technique work, the key to success is to choose flowers with the same intensity of colour. Designer Sue Burke created this garden at RHS Flower ShowTatton Park, with a fabulous mix of blooms in rich gemstone hues. Get the look with the Echinacea Breeders Mix (£20/10 plants, hayloft.co.uk), which includes three vibrant colours of red, pink and yellow along with calming white. NARROW YOUR PALETTE FEATURE: JULES BARTON-BRECK. PHOTOS: EMMA KENDELL, ALAMY USE HORIZONTAL LAYERS OF COLOUR Sticking to one colour but in different shades creates a wonderfully cohesive look, especially when you include lots of types of flowers, shrubs This technique is a bit like layering up and trees. This garden designed by Mike Long has focused on varying a trifle in a glass bowl, and the effect is shades of green from barely there hints through to darkest tones, via zingy equally delicious! It cleverly adds a sense lime accents. But the look can be created with any colour – think pale pink of order and structure, which is perfect through to dark red, or how about the lightest of lilacs through to dark navy? for a sleek modern garden. The designers of the Macmillan Legacy Garden at RHS Love this green vibe? Try planting these beauties en masse: Flower Show Tatton Park started with a Euphorbia characias wulfenii (£12.97/3 x 9cm pot, jparkers.co.uk), layer of low-growing black mondo grass, Alchemilla mollis (£4.95/9cm pot, sarahraven.com) and hydrangea ‘Little then added the middle layer of green and Lime’ (£11.99/9cm pot, marshallsgarden.com). white astrantia, topped off with towering purple agapanthus. 30 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022 Create your own little garden trifle with black mondo (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’, £8.99/9cm pot, thompson-morgan.com), astrantia ‘Sparkling Star White’ (£11/1 bareroot plant, hayloft.co.uk) and agapanthus ‘Dark Silk’ (£12.99/3L pot, webbsdirect.co.uk).

Agapanthus EASY IDEAS ‘Dark Silk’ Smart design olution GET CLEVER WITH choose a planting palette and USE BLOOMS to create a stylish outside space Want to add colour to your plot revealing them so you can pinch them! Use with bright blooms? Garden them to introduce an element of surprise into designers have an array of your plot, make a small space look bigger or techniques up their sleeves to streamline your outside space. Whichever to achieve a particular effect, using flower you choose, you’re sure to make your garden colour and planting positions – and we’re look a whole lot more fabulous. Black mondo grass ➣ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 31

Colour SPECIAL ADD AN ACCENT HUE are on the white delphiniums. This is a great way to go bold but not bright if you want to We’re big fans of how well the contrast be subtle with colour in your plot. of black hardscaping works with loads of greenery, but the theme really comes alive Show off your curated collection in a when an accent colour is introduced with statement container such as the Large a showstopper bloom. In The Stolen Soul Gold Effect Classical Face Planter, £135, Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show, rockettstgeorge.co.uk. designed by Anna Dabrowska-Jaudi, all eyes On a budget? niphofia Echinacea ‘Royal Standard’ purpurea Add an instant colour boost without any ‘ gnus’ hard work, or breaking the budget, with COLOUR-MATCH HARD these bobby dazzlers… & SOFT LANDSCAPING mesia ‘Nesia In this garden by designer Anca Panait, painted pical’ brings you walls have matching flowers planted in front of ll the colours of them. Using a cool colour such as blue, which summer in one creates the illusion of the wall receding, and a plant! It’ll flower warm colour such as burnt orange, which has till October. the effect of appearing closer, makes the space £4.95/9cm pot, between them look far bigger. If you have a small arahraven.com garden with harsh boundary walls or fences, try it! ith clouds of Add wafty grasses to add texture and break ur co-ordinated up the block of colour. Try Stipa tenuissima looms, the ‘Pony Tails’, £4.97/3 x 7cm pots, jparkers.co.uk. Crimson Silk Pot Collection will brighten up your patio a treat! £33.50/9 x 9cm ots sarahraven.com esty green will ma e your existing blooms magically look brighter! Moda Milano 28L Lime Green Gloss Planters, £24.99/2 amazon.co.uk 32 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

Make MIX RICH AND EASY IDEAS life lovely WARM TONES TRY THIS! Want to create a sense of Create a planting patina by bountiful opulence? Choose growing a mix of small blooms a warm and welcoming mix of purple, deep pink, burnt all in the same tone orange and ochre flowers. In this RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden designed by Ann-Marie Powell, the colour is highlighted with the addition of co-ordinating cushions. Try the Sarah Raven Antirrhinum Collection (£8.95/5 jumbo seedlings, sarahraven.com) for four stunning varieties in a rich colour palette including velvety burgundy and crimson. Lobelia speciosa REPEAT CLOUDS OF COLOUR ‘Had P rple’ The Florence Nightingale Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show showcased how to fill borders to bursting point with masses of the same type of plants and shrubs. Green grasses are the key here, spilling over and softening the paths, awash with clouds of pale lilac scabious and the delicate white flowers of Anemone hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’. Start off your beds or borders with hakonechloa grass. It’s a slow spreading bright green grass that builds into cascading hummocks, a perfect backdrop for clouds of blooms. £11.99/9cm pot, crocus.co.uk. CLASH BRIGHTS Choose pots that either match or contrast with the flower colour – the Elho Loft The Pop Street Garden, designed by John Urban Bowl 35 (£16.89, elho.com) comes in a McPherson, proves that everything goes when it range of 10 fab colours. And top with bright comes to colour! In a courtyard or small terrace gravel: gardenersdream.co.uk has tons of fluoro garden, this is a great way to blur the boundaries colours from £5.99/1kg. and focus the eye on the details so the size almost seems irrelevant. CREATE CALM WITH GREEN Sometimes it’s the case that the simplest of colour schemes can produce a major wow-effect. The greens of foliage plants, as seen in this garden designed by Tawatchai Sakdikul and Ploytabtim Suksang, pop against the black and grey landscaping and the natural tones of the timber fences. The overall vibe is of calm tranquillity. For lush green foliage all year round, look to Fatsia japonica (£19.99/2L pot, crocus.co.uk). It has lovely large glossy leaves, is fast-growing, happy in sun or shade and is low maintenance. JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 33

MODERN GARDENS READERS DISCOUNT CODE FOR WSHTOILLCAEKSST! 50% OFF GARDEN FURNITURE! IN STOCK AND AVAILABLE FOR FAST DELIVERY! TOP Santorini - Lounge Set QUALITY! with Side Cushions This sleek modular looking lounge can be arranged in several different ways. Consisting of one left hand and one right hand sofa, two ottomans and a compact coffee table, a simple rearrangement of the pieces enables you to turn it into 2 chaise longues, 2 day beds or keep all 4 pieces separate for a more sociable outdoor lounge space. Also available in Blue and includes a 12 month warranty. Normally £1199 Now £599.50* when you quote your 50% off discount code MGJUN22B at checkout. GREAT Stockholm - Corner VALUE! Lounge Set - Black FREE This gorgeous sleek set is the DELIVERY! perfect spot to unwind outdoors with friends and family. This unique VISIT WWW.OUTANDOUT.COM TODAY TO VIEW OUR FULL RANGE AND dark sofa seats up to 6 people GET 50% OFF ANY PRODUCT WHEN YOU ENTER DISCOUNT CODE AT and includes a beautifully designed CHECKOUT. ORDER ONLINE OR CALL US TODAY ON 02037 728 752. corner sofa, a generously sized sturdy dining table and is virtually *Excludes delivery. Prices correct at time of going to press. **See website for details. ***Includes Free Fast Delivery. maintenance-free. This set comes with a 12 month constructional warranty. Available in both left or right hand orientation.** Normally £999 Now £499.50* when you quote your 50% off discount code MGJUN22B at checkout. Marbella - 5-Seater Corner Lounge Set Relax in your garden without a care in the world with this stunning rattan lounge set. Brought to you in an elegant Earth Grey colour theme, this set will add character and personality to your garden. With its galvanised steel frame, this set is virtually maintenance-free and seats 5 comfortably so you can entertain outside with ease. Includes a tempered glass-topped coffee table. Normally £1199 Now £599.50*** when you quote your 50% off plus FREE Fast Delivery code MGJUN22C at checkout.

treatment i GARDEN FEATURE design away in a corner. It’s also available in cream and grey, and the two opening Sheds are increasingly being designed windows and half-glazed door mean for their good looks as well as their the interior is light and airy too. Forest practical storage capabilities, and this Retreat Grey Luxury Shed, W121cm x high-spec building is made to be noticed. H243cm x D180cm, £4,799 including With red cedar roof shingles and smooth installation, from shedstore.co.uk. weatherboarded sides, it makes an idyllic garden feature, so don’t hide this lovely JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 35

MAXIMUM STORAGE SPACE SMALL-SPACE SOLUTION The trend for sleek design and urban style Sentry box sheds are a real feature in finishes has finally emerged in shed form. Forget the market right now, they’re the perfect the traditional timber format with pitched roof, place to stash tools and pots and they look these cutting-edge structures are bold and good too. With a tiny footprint but tall beautiful and you can fit a lot more in them! stature, you can easily squeeze one into Made from maintenance-free coated steel, the smallest space, and they’re useful as a this dark grey metallic Highline Garden Shed secondary spot to store often-used tools, in (£2,989/W275 x H222 x D195cm, biohort.com) addition to a main shed. Many designs are has a 20-year guarantee and also comes in silver, a blank canvas invitin you to divide up the or quartz grey. It’s easy to assemble too. space with shelve , d ho ks a s as you see fit, but we High-level glazing and advanced love this Outsunny locks offer better security Garden Wood Storage Shed with Workstation (W60cm x H182cm x D42cm, £299.99, aosom.co.uk) on account of its genius fold-down work surface. This open area is so handy for stashing often-used tools Small but spacious EASY ORGANISATION ZERO MAINTENANCE Flexible storage solutions have become Not a fan of having to repaint your wooden increasingly popular indoors and they’ve now shed? Technical manufacturing improvements made it outdoors too. More and more sheds have led to sturdy resin designs with all the are boasting separate smaller compartments or detail and beauty of a traditional wooden shed internal dividers so you can stash cushions and but none of the upkeep. If it gets dirty, just hose barbecue equipment separately to gardening it down! These resin panels won’t crack, warp or paraphernalia, without it all merging into a move like timber, ensuring that doors will open messy tangle. Some structures include an open smoothly no matter what the weather. Relatively storage area that doubles as a handy log store. lightweight to handle and coming with its own This Wooden Multi Store Shed (W179 x H230 floor, the Keter Darwin Garden Storage Shed x D179cm, £1,159.99, primrose.co.uk) has five (W125 x H205 x D184cm, £340, argos.co.uk) is compartments and comes pre-coated with easily erected in a few hours. primer so it’s ready for a top-coat of paint. Renting? This shed is easy to 36 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022 dismantle and re-erect elsewhere

Shop the easy way! GREENHOUSE SHED COMBO BEST BUYS Scan here to shop Always wanted a greenhouse but don’t Double doors mean the all these sheds have room? Then jump aboard this huge storage area can be used trend for super-stylish potting sheds. There are lots of di erent designs with more, or s a workspace too less, glazing so you can find just the right balance for your garden. This Country Living Caythorpe Premium Potting Shed (W194 x H214 x D257cm, £2,550 including painting and installation, homebase.co.uk) is just right for us! These half-width Even if you have a spacious SUMMERHOUSE HYBRID shelves mean garden, a hybrid design saves long-handled cluttering your outside space Don’t have room for a summerhouse and tools can be a shed? Then you need a hybrid design, accommodated with multiple buildings combining space for lounging, whatever the weather, with a separate storage section. Ratios of sitting and storage areas vary widely with this type of garden structure so you can choose the best format to meet your needs and your plot. The BillyOh Penton Corner Summerhouse with Side Store (W336 x H209 x D215cm, £1,779, billyoh.com) is made to be slotted neatly into a corner and can be customised with a full-size wooden base and choice of roof covering and timber shelving. Add to the summerhouse vibes with pretty blinds The compact footprint CORNER FIX This shed is makes it ideal for a tiny pre-painted in anthracite Our need to make the most of our outside patio or side return space, however big or small, has never been greater, and corner sheds will slot in neatly and help contour a boxy plot. This cute Shiplap Pent Wooden Shed by Shire Sheds (W205m x H220 x D205cm, £960.77, wayfair.co.uk) oozes summerhouse vibes and is crying out for a mini-deck with a rattan armchair outside! STYLISH STORAGE A ED SECURITY A compact plot makes good-looking storage If you use your shed to stash bikes and essential and this interior-worthy outdoor valuable tools and patio heaters in, then secure cabinet will only add to your garden style. Made storage is a priority. A new breed of garden from solid firwood, the shutter-style doors and lock-ups puts security first and foremost, chunky cube feet of the Outsunny Wooden without compromising in the style stakes. Garden Storage Shed, 3-Tier Shelves Tool With high glazing that lets light in without Cabinet (W79 x H160 x D46.5cm, £219.99, putting the contents on show, heavy-duty aosom.co.uk) allow air to circulate while framing and double doors that lock with a key, contents remain dry and mould-free. Inside the the Pent Security Shed Painted – Anthracite lockable door are three shelves, one of which is (W240cm x H240cm x D240cm, £2,799.98, adjustable, so you can tailor the space. thegardenrange.co.uk) o ers peace of mind. JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 37

MODERN GARDENS READERS DISCOUNT CODE FOR WSHTOILLCAEKSST! 50% OFF GARDEN FURNITURE! IN STOCK AND AVAILABLE FOR FAST DELIVERY! GREAT Palma - Corner Rattan VALUE! Garden Loun e Set This stylish lounge set is the perfect setting for alfresco dining. This 9 seater sofa is practical and hardwearing, constructed using durable polyrattan. Consisting of a deluxe 7 seater sofa, square stool, rectangular stool and a generously sized coffee table with a glass table top. The luxurious thick cushions come in a chic Grey and have removable covers for washing. Normally £1399 Now £699.50* when you quote your 50% off discount code MGJUN22 at checkout. CLSETAORCAKNCE! Marrakesh - Garden Loun e Set DON’T MISS OUT! The modern Marrakesh Garden Lounge Set is perfect for entertaining FREE while also being extremely durable. DELIVERY! The set sits up to 5 people and comes with a handy square coffee table. VISIT WWW.OUTANDOUT.COM TODAY TO VIEW OUR FULL RANGE AND There’s practical slatted detailing GET 50% OFF ANY PRODUCT WHEN YOU ENTER DISCOUNT CODE AT either side of the sofa, perfect for CHECKOUT. ORDER ONLINE OR CALL US TODAY ON 02037 728 752. placing your drinks, books or snacks whilst entertaining. The chunky seat *Excludes delivery. Prices correct at time of going to press. **Includes Free Fast Delivery. and back cushions have polyspun covers that can be removed for washing to keep that fresh look. Normally £899 Now £449.50* when you quote your 50% off discount code MGJUN22 at checkout. Havana - Corner Loun e Set This sleek contemporary lounge set can seat up to 5 comfortably and comes with a square coffee table in shades of a sophisticated graphite. This set is virtually maintenance-free and comes with thick foam cushions which have easily removable covers for washing to maintain that pristine look. This set comes with a 1 year constructional warranty. Normally £1199 Now £599.50** when you quote your 50% off plus FREE Fast Delivery code MGJUN22A at checkout.

OUTDOOR LIVING Fiona’s Open garden events are in full swing and Cutting garden tea towel FIONA CUMBERPATCH is gathering joyous ideas for her small town garden in Lincolnshire Make life At this time a better book than Arthur Parkinson’s The lovely of year, Flower Yard (kylebooks.co.uk). It has lots of I love to brilliant tips for colour clashing and plant Perfect partners wander recipes, all grown in a genuinely small space. around open garden Container inspiration events near to where Since I started my own flower patch, July I live. It’s such a good has been a joy in the garden. All the hard work Midsummer posies way to hoover up back in the spring – the digging, weeding, great ideas that I seed sowing and bulb planting – is worth it JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 39 now as my patch explodes in a firework display can copy in my own of colours. To keep it all fresh, I’ll continue plot, plus a tea-and- deadheading, watering, feeding and picking. homemade-cake If I see a gap, or if something dies or doesn’t stall is guaranteed! come up, I’ll whip it out and head up to the As I garden in a small space with lots garden centre or supermarket to buy a plant of pots, I always make a beeline for other to fill the space. But it’s also important to people’s containers. There are always amazing remember that a garden doesn’t have to look combinations of plant colours and shapes that perfect to be a haven. I try to treat mine as a haven’t occurred to me. One that I saw and work in progress, to be enjoyed as it is now loved recently was a Mexican daisy (Erigeron rather than always wishing for more or better. karvinskianus ‘Stallone’) teamed with a salvia ‘Salvatore Blue’ (try woolmans.com for both). Creating a small seating spot close to the You’re guaranteed a long summer of fizzy little flowers is a reminder for me to make time to sit down and soak it all up. You can pick up a small “ My small plot now explodes in a firework display of colours“ PHOTOS: FIONA CUMBERPATCH, WOOLMANS.COM white flowers with purple blue spires poking secondhand bistro set cheaply on Facebook through. The good news is that they’re both marketplace, or for £55 at jysk.co.uk. A jam jar perennials, so they will come back next year. of homegrown blooms and a glass of wine is all that is needed to complete the picture. Another marriage made in plant heaven is to combine frilly heuchera foliage with flowery It was while I was sitting contemplating my bedding. Foliage is a lovely way to ground cutting garden one summer evening that I was the look of a pot. Forget boring dark green, inspired to paint a design that I have turned heucheras have incredible coloured leaves into a range of cotton tea towels featuring my in bronze, plum, lime and smoky purple. The favourite summer flowers. I never thought I names such as ‘Blackberry Jam’, ‘Huckleberry’, would have the confidence to branch out like ‘Sugar Frosting’ and ‘Sweet Tea’ describe the this, but it’s all down to my lovely garden. tones perfectly. Add bedding plants in spicy colours such as Petchoa ‘Beautical Cinnamon’ Fiona or ‘Sunset Orange’, squeeze in a swishy blonde grass, and you’re sorted for late summer. Instagram @fionacumberpatch For more ideas on winning colour blog fionacumberpatch.com combinations for containers, I haven’t found

“We could be a million miles from anywhere!” xotic plants and pops of lime green have turned Anthony and Gill Rumgay’s bare square of soil into a SECRET SANCTUARY FEATURE: MELANIE WHITEHOUSE. PHOTOS: DAVID KEEGAN, DKGARDENDESIGN.CO.UK When Anthony and Gill ➣ BEFORE Rumgay moved into their new four-bedroom redbrick Thweaosvearltoaoskkedtohoilflaroffohreaivtsy ocwlanyerssoil house, it came with beautiful views over pasture to the Pennines at the front, and an enclosed back garden with problems. “The back garden was a hill of mud!” remembers Anthony. “Even with my experience and appetite for the grunt work of gardening, it was unworkable. The developers suggested they dig it all out for us but we would have just gone from a hill to a hole and the back fence would probably have become unstable.” Anthony, who married Gill in 2011, has always been a keen gardener. “After my first wife died in 2004, it was working in the garden that kept me from falling apart,” he says. “Gardening is in my blood.” Initially, he attempted to carve out terraces linked by a snaking path but the heavy clay soil proved too much. Then he came up with the idea of replicating a courtyard he remembered from way back, filled with statues, urns and planters. But Gill intervened with a shortlist of designers she’d found online, and in the second one they met, David Keegan (dkgardendesign. co.uk), they discovered exactly what they were looking for. “He looked and listened, stayed with us for about three hours and the ideas just flowed,” recalls Anthony. “Gill and I both said he has shedloads of flair born of his wide understanding of plants and his passion for creating places for them to live alongside people in a harmonious whole.” 40 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

GARDEN MAKEOVER Cuprinol Garden Shades Urban Slate, £22/2.5L, diy.com GARDEN makeover Black Granite Coping Stone, £32.40 each, londonstone.co.uk SMART IDEAS TO STEAL PLANT PLEACHED HORNBEAMS for instant privacy. PAIR SHAPELY LEAVES with pale paving and walls for fabulous shadows. USE COPING STONES atop raised beds to create extra seating. JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 41

Tree fern Giant reed Gill arnedalAityntinhojnuys’ts12viswioenekbsecame B oo of seating among lush foliage. “In Anthony, I had a very keen gardener with good plant OUR GARDEN Turn your knowledge and with the support of Gill, it plot into a allowed for the creation of a garden that is both PL AN tropical haven individual and unusual,” says David. too, p46 LOCATION Rochdale, Lancs Creating a tropical-style oasis in the north of THE LOOK Tropical INSPIRED BY A PAINTING England was a challenge, not least because of the weather, so a pleached hornbeam hedge SITE Size 80m2 Faces South The choice of designer was a no-brainer and was planted close to the boundary fence to Soil Imported, enriched with compost, dried the planning began. “We showed David a establish a microclimate as well as provide more painting of the Temperate House in Kew screening from neighbouring houses. Pathways blood and fishbone, and liquid seaweed Gardens, which is home to more than 10,000 inspired by the hothouses at Kew Gardens will plants from the more temperate regions of the eventually enjoy a lush canopy of foliage as the OUR BUDGET world. He got what we meant, took the idea of Consultation & design £3,000 a courtyard, and developed it beyond anything Excavation, landscaping & construction we could have imagined,” says Anthony. of walls & planters £47,500 Slabs £950 Galvanised steel screens & gate David remembers the garden as little more £2,500 Plants & planting £8,000 than a bare patch of soil with an awkward slope Lime green & black cube pots £420 up into one corner, which he saw as a chance to create a multilevel garden with hidden pockets TOTAL: £62,370 HOW LONG IT TOOK Site clearance 1 week Construction of retaining walls & perimeter beds 5 weeks Construction of raised planters, paving & rendering 5 weeks Planting 1 week TOTAL: 12 weeks HOW WE DID IT... 2 3 1 CLEARANCE WAS EASY in this THE PLOT IS LEVELLED onto three tiers, THE DECKING IS LAID outside the back already-bare plot but 70 tons of heavy clay soil a screed base is laid and the perimeter fences bifold doors and the team prepare for the needed to be removed before work could begin. are painted a charcoal grey. mammoth job of paving the rest of the plot. 42 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

GARDEN MAKEOVER BRIMMING A paHinotiunsgeoaftinKseiwdeGthaerdTeenms.p..erate ...watsrotphiecainl-ssptyirlaeticoonurbteyhairndd this with tropical The steep slope at the back of the garden three-week holiday to escape the mayhem. greenery, the meant adding a retaining wall at the boundary, “The landscapers colonised our drive with a new patio is the which together with the lower wall for the raised gazebo, a Portaloo and all sorts of materials for perfect spot for bed, allowed the plants to be layered in height the garden,” remembers Anthony, “and when we laidback dining to create a dense screen of foliage. got home, around 70 tons of earth and rock and while soaking rubbish had been dug out and levels created! up the view. FINAL FLOURISHES Watching the rest of the garden take shape was a mix of, ‘It seems to be taking ages’ and ‘Wow! plants mature, so Anthony and Gill can move While Anthony is a keen gardener, Gill is not, Where did that come from?’” unseen in their own secret garden. but it was her input that influenced the final design decisions. “It was Gill’s choice of stone The weather was fine, which meant the “The key is to use plants that might look lush colour, render, cladding and her vision to have landscapers could crack on. “All the stone was and tropical but are hardy and not necessarily the pops of lime green,” says Anthony. “And it cut on site but fortunately our neighbours were tropical at all,” says David. “That said, many of was her idea to get the side door of the garage at work and didn’t have to hear the power saw the plants used here require winter protection, spray-painted in matching lime green by our day after day,” says Anthony. “The hot weather making this type of garden more suitable for a neighbour, who has a car body repair shop.” meant that the silicone render for the walls and committed gardener. It became clear during planters had to be made in small batches to the first spring and summer that the banana Just one major change was made to David’s keep it workable. Our water bill quadrupled as trees were struggling to cope due to a design, and that was the decision to ditch the the works were washed down each day to keep wind-tunnel effect down one side of the house, water feature. “With all the leaves in the garden, the slabs clean. And because the landscapers so these will have to be moved into a more I decided it would be a pain to keep it clear,” were using machines that took a high electrical sheltered part of the garden.” says Anthony. “We also changed the tiles from load, our fuse box had to be upgraded and Indian sandstone to Whitworth grey Yorkstone external power sockets fitted – another cost but paving to keep close to our budget, used dark a necessary one.” grey granite edging instead of black basalt, and the silicone render on the garage wall was By late July, plants were being delivered on dropped in favour of cladding it with yellow pine pallets from the Netherlands and from Crûg to match the long run of fencing on the Farm in Wales (crug-farm.co.uk), and it was a opposite side of the plot.” daily job to keep them hydrated in the heat until ➣ The landscapers began work in May 2019, while Anthony and Gill went to India on a 5 46 A RETAINING BACK WALL is built, the THE PLANTERS ARE RENDERED and FINAL TOUCHES are made to the sunken patio has been laid on three levels and the topped with coping stones to provide extra beds and raised planters, then they’re filled with planters are in place. seating. The side fence is clad in pine. compost ready to be planted. JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 43

GARDEN MAKEOVER “Our garden has enhanced David’s tips to dazzle our home beyond measure” with pops of lime green they were planted. “You can imagine the sense In his early 70s, Anthony appreciates that the Use lime green of urgency,” says Anthony. “The first major garden is more or less one huge raised bed so sparingly to lift planting was the pleached hornbeams. Right it’s easy to access without too much bending the mood on dull days away they screened the view of neighbouring down. “It’s possible to walk round the garden on and shine like a beacon houses and the brutal pine fences. That day the the parapets, which makes every bed and on bright days. dicksonia went in too. The vision was becoming planter easy to reach.” This vibrant tone real at long last.” works best with In summer, Anthony and Gill now use the muted paving and hard landscaping tones. PLANT PARADISE back garden as an extension of their dining Alchemilla mollis, Heuchera villosa room, reading, sunbathing and eating outside. ‘Key Lime Pie’, Hydrangea paniculata The first spring was an exciting time as the “The design David produced for us has ‘Little Lime’, Musa basjoo banana trees and Clematis armandii came into flower and enhanced our home beyond measure and given bird of paradise will bring zing to borders. perfumed the air. “Podophyllum and rodgersia it extra dimensions,” Anthony adds. “The interior Add bright green furniture such as came into leaf followed by persicaria and and the exterior simply flow together. Although Fermob’s Bistro Chaise Longue acanthus,” recalls Anthony, “and by May the there is so much movement in the garden, it is Sunlounger, £359, connectionsathome.co.uk. buds on the hornbeams were bursting.” such a peaceful, still space.” Ronseal Garden metal and wood paint in Lime Zest, £5/250ml, diy.com, is the finishing touch. Tropical oasis ✽ Soft shield fern The soft-to-the-touch This generous jungle of lush green leaves fronds of this mostly enjoys a seasoning of vibrant summer evergreen fern grow to 1.2m colour with exotic-looking blooms. “Don’t high and the stalks have forget green is a colour too!” says David. fabulous orange-brown scales. GOOD TO KNOW! ✽ Passiflora caerulea This vigorous climber is The render is kept pristine with much tougher than its Mould, Lichen & Algae Remover, exotic blooms suggest. £21.99/2L, wetandforget.co.uk Give it a sunny sheltered position and it’ll cope with 44 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022 UK winters. ✽ Dutchman’s pipe Grow climbing Aristolochia macrophylla in a sunny sheltered spot for its fab heart-shaped leaves that can be 30cm long! ✽ Alstroemeria ‘Indian Summer’ This glam new variety has fiery flowers from May to the first frosts. Keep it cosy with a duvet of mulch if you live in a chilly part of the UK. ✽ Hakonechloa macra Japanese forest grass is so easy to grow in sun or shade, forming tufts of lush foliage. It has sprays of green blooms in summer too. ✽ Honey spurge Evergreen Euphorbia mellifera grows to 2m tall with almost-luminous green leaves and honey-scented blooms.

BEST BUYS FLOWER POWER CITRUSLY GOOD Top up on plenty of vitamin 1 Escape from it all as you sink back into the see-you-in-the-garden with machine-washable this water-repellent foldable flower-printed canvas of this Curacao Mandarin Orange Azadeh Chilean Acacia sun Metal Sun Lounger, lounger with removeable £38 diy.com footrest, £135 laredoute.co.uk 2 3 We GREEN ENVY LOVE this! We’re all hot and bothered over the curvy design of these super-tough aluminium and 5 Textilene ergonomic Folding Sun Loungers, £156.99/2 vidaxl.co.uk HELLO HEATWAVE! DESIGNER RECLINER Shop the easy way! Scan here It’s time to ditch the chores, fill up This Siesta Sun Lounger to shop all these the fridge and drinks cupboard and reclines using just your enjoy a lazy lounge outdoors, body weight so getting sun loungers with a matching pillow for extra snooze-factor. Argos Sun comfy in the sun, or Loungers – Yellow, £75/2 shade, is easy. £45 argos.co.uk homebase. co.uk 4 SOOTHING SAGE 6 Catch some restful rays with a cuppa and a biscuit or two on this timeless Sage Green Lounger with STRIPE IT LUCKY weather-resistant aluminium frame. £59 dunelm.com Relax and take in the sights, sounds and scents of the oasis you’ve 7 ROCK ON! THE WILD ONE created, from the comfort of this Put your feet up and gently rock folding Wooden Sunlounger your way through chilled summer When it’s time for an al fresco with three reclining positions. days with this Steel Rocking Sun catnap, this reclines-flat, foldable Available in turquoise, yellow Lounger Mint Green. Its steel Habitat Global Leopard Metal or red stripes. £71.90 runners have non-slip covers for Sun Lounger in orange, yellow relaxdays.co.uk and pastels hits the spot! a smooth and relaxing rocking £38 argos.co.uk motion. £119 beliani.co.uk 89 COMPILED BY ANGELA KENNY LIGHTWEIGHT #10 LOVE TO LOUNGE? BEST LOUNGERS Kick back and enjoy happy summer vibes on this bright yellow Lemon Folding Metal Sun Lounger with three comfy positions for reading, relaxing or sleeping. £38 habitat.co.uk Add instant SUMMER COLOUR 10 with an easy-to-move-with-the-sun bed JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 45

RESTFUL 6 EASY PROJECTS TO DO NOW! to your outside space with these Rose easy afternoon projects ‘Scepter’d Isle’ English ivy Lucky charm F E AT UR E: G EO F F HO DGE. PHOTOS: GA P, CALMING BUDDHA PLANTER into the pot, firm down and water, and find a F LO RA PR E S S, VI S I ON S, A LAM Y, S HUTTERS TOCK , shady spot above the ground. PELARGONIUMFOREUROPE.COM According to the Vastu shastra (texts on the traditional Indian system of architecture that WHAT IT COST describe principles of design and layout), as ✽ Planter: Concrete Buddha Head, well as feng shui, having a Buddha statue in your garden is a harbinger of good fortune. £11.99 totallybuddha.com But you must raise it above the ground, never ✽ Compost: Wilko Coco sitting on soil, to display proper respect, and Potting, £1.50/10L wilko.com face it towards the east. This Buddha planter is the perfect way to install that element of good ✽ Plant: English ivy, luck, with an easy-care English ivy softening the £5.99/8.5cm pot crocus.co.uk edges. Simply pop the plant and the compost TOTAL: £19.48 46 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

SIMPLE PROJECTS TRY THIS! Add this cheeky monkey to your patio - Resin Spider Monkey Garden Ornament, £25, dunelm.com WHAT IT COST SQUEEZE-IT-IN HAMMOCK FERN WALL PLAQUES ✽ Hammock: Striped Cotton, Dreaming of lazy days snoozing gently The simple beauty of fern leaves makes for some £22.99 vonhaus.com in a hammock? Then make it a reality! divine DIY wall art. Start by pressing a fern frond ✽ 2 x 2.1m x 10cm x 10cm fence posts: Using a couple of fence posts to create between two pieces of absorbent kitchen towel, a temporary lazing spot means you can weighed down with a book for a couple of weeks. £23 each wickes.co.uk stretch out on a sunny day, but easily Sand the board, smoothing the edges and the ✽ Multipurpose Ready Mixed Concrete: remove the hammock sling when you front. Brush a thin layer of glue onto the back want an unrestricted view of your tropical of the now-dry frond, starting at the midrib and 2 x Blue Circle, £10.13/5kg tub diy.com jungle – or when the British weather working out to the tips. Position on the board and ✽ 2 hammock hooks: Homper Heavy suddenly goes into monsoon mode! And brush a layer of glue over the front of the frond. it takes up less space and is less obtrusive To weatherproof, spray with clear lacquer once Duty Swing Hangers, than a hammock stand. the glue is dry. To hang, insert two screws in the back of the board and tie on a length of string. £12.99 each amazon.co.uk Work out where you want your ✽ L4m x Dia28mm decking rope: hammock to hang and the rough distance WHAT IT COST between the two support posts, then dig ✽ Wooden board 25 x 17 x 1cm: £18.12 buyrope.co.uk a hole for the first post and concrete it ✽ Exterior wood glue: Evo-Stik Wood in place, ensuring a minimum of 90cm £3 hobbycraft.co.uk of the post is in the ground. Once the ✽ Clear PVA glue: Brian Clegg Red Label Adhesive Exterior, £8.99/500ml concrete has dried, put up the hammock and then work out exactly where the Craft PVA, £2.50/300ml hobbycraft.co.uk screwfix.com second post should be positioned, dig ✽ Clear spray paint lacquer: a hole and concrete the post in place. TOTAL: £142.34 For the finishing touch, wrap a few turns £5.75/400ml wilko.com of decking rope around the top of each post, attaching with wood glue. TOTAL: £11.25 ➣ JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 47

TanIPadsIktnheeasput’smitwsmshheerar,egwgiatystterrrouotnhtskeacmrreoowistn WHAT IT COST GRACEFUL TREE FERN ✽ 1.5m tree fern: Dicksonia antartica, These shapely fronds will create a focus in £259.95 thepalmtreecompany.com your garden, as well as fabulous shadows. ✽ Rose, tree & shrub peat-free compost: The most commonly available, Dicksonia antarctica, is far easier to grow than its Verve, £6.50/50L diy.com impressive, exotic appearance might suggest. The trick is to fill the depression TOTAL: £266.45 in the top of the trunk with straw and wrap the trunk in hessian or several layers of horticultural fleece over winter. To plant, dig over a planting area of at least 60cm in diameter, adding lots of bulky organic matter such as tree and shrub planting compost. For small trees up to 90cm high, plant the trunk 15cm deep, making the hole 30-40cm deep for taller plants. This depth means that staking shouldn’t be necessary, but firm the soil while backfilling the hole and make sure the tree stands steady. Water the crown and sides of the trunk well. Tree ferns are sold by the length of the trunk, with prices starting at around £40 for one 30cm long up to around £300 for one measuring 1.8m high. Potted plants are also available and will cost more. 48 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022

SIMPLE PROJECTS LOVELY LOST GARDEN any you don’t want before they slither into the undergrowth! Replicate the vibe of overgrown ruins with this easy-care idea. The mind-your-own- WHAT IT COST business (Soleirolia soleirolii) and pots of ✽ Soil conditioner: Westland stress-free sempervivums grow well in sun £9.99/50L marshallsgarden.com or shade and, once established, they are ✽ 6 terracotta pots, different sizes: pretty drought tolerant. £14.82 diy.com Start by digging over the soil, removing ✽ Cactus & succulent the roots of any weeds, and dig in some peat-free repotting mix: bulky organic soil conditioner to improve £12.99/16L marshallsgarden.com moisture retention and drainage. Plant up ✽ 15 sempervivum plants: £24.99 the pots with the sempervivums using a Stoneillusions2018 @ etsy.com cacti and succulent compost, topping the ✽ Horticultural washed gravel: RHS, compost surface with grit or gravel. £4.50/5kg homebase.co.uk ✽ 9 mind-your-own-business plants: Sink the pots into the ground and plant £2.45 each victoriananursery.co.uk the mind-your-own-business around them, TOTAL: £89.34/1M2 spacing them about 30cm apart. The plants will soon spread to cover the soil, but do keep an eye on them as they can spread into places you don’t want them to, so cut away EXPLORER LANTERN GOOD IDEA! Bring a little Indiana Jones to your patio table No belt? Take a trip to with a stylish lantern made from an old belt your local charity shop and a glass jar. Cut the belt to size and make who should be able to help! a hole for the buckle pin, so that the buckled end can be wrapped tightly around the jar. The remaining length of belt that you cut off will make the handle. Work out where it will attach, then make two sets of four holes in a square pattern in both belt sections. Use strong twine to sew the handle to the buckled length, using these holes. When you put the leather belt back on the jar, if it doesn’t remain firmly in place, you may need to glue it. To finish, place a layer of hydroleca clay granules (Westland, £9.99/10L, marshallsgarden.com), gravel or decorative stones at the base of the jar and add the candle. WHAT IT COST ✽ Hole punch pliers: £4.99 amazon.co.uk ✽ Candles: Hemsjö Unscented Block, £2/4 ikea.com ✽ 20mm gravel: £3.15 wickes.co.uk TOTAL: £10.14 Simply stylish JULY 2022 MODERN GARDENS 49

OUTDOOR LIVING Iced-tea FRENCH 75 FEATURE: CLARE WALKER. PHOTO: GETTY JULY TIPPLE Drink anyone? To make four glasses: A cocktail classic, the French 75 has YOU WILL NEED stood the test of time for the last 100 years. Combining gin, champagne For the Earl Grey syrup ✽ 250ml sugar (or Prosecco), lemon juice and sugar, it’s ✽ 250ml water often hailed as the perfect refreshing ✽ 4 Earl Grey teabags accompaniment to brunch. For the cocktail But we’ve given it a twist, ✽ 60ml Earl Grey simple syrup adding Earl Grey tea because ✽ 120ml gin sometimes we’re still hankering ✽ 90ml fresh lemon juice after a morning cuppa at ✽ Ice brunchtime! Earl Grey’s ✽ Mixed citrus fruit slices orange bergamot undernotes ✽ 400ml Prosecco balance beautifully with the ✽ Mint leaves already wonderful French 75 for a sparkling cocktail that’s WHAT TO DO welcome any time of day! 1 First make the Earl Grey syrup. Gently heat the sugar and water together in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, add the teabags to the saucepan and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Remove bags and leave to cool. 2 To mix the cocktail, combine the Earl Grey syrup, gin and lemon juice in a jug with some ice and mix thoroughly. 3 Add fruit slices, top up with Prosecco and garnish with mint. trTaIyuPspsSottooyrooenuleecmfatonovnpetrohpsoyorruuftrpejueinzsettwhinehifacrteidycoguuebfenoered 50 MODERN GARDENS JULY 2022