G.I. Landscapes’s Adam Idle’s tips for perfect pergolas…

What are the benefits of having a pergola? They have a multitude of uses, to add interest and height; provide privacy; to draw the eye to a certain point; create a semi shaded entertaining area or a quiet haven to escape to.

Can a pergola be positioned anywhere within a garden, and when’s the best time of year to erect one? They can go wherever you would like one, and can be erected in all seasons. Best to plant climbers outside of the summer months, but as long as they are well watered and in prepared ground or containers it really doesn’t matter.

Which climbers would you recommend for speedy coverage? Generally you really need to allow a full year’s growth for most species. Evergreen species: Clematis, beautiful scent and flowers; Ivy, mix large leafed varieties with variegated smaller leaves to add interest. Deciduous species: Wisteria, its mass of hanging blooms provides colour in early summer and bare wooden stems add interest in winter.

What factors do you take into account when designing? You need to consider what main use you want e.g. seating area, walkway etc. Then position, so as not to compromise the overall look of the garden, too big or close to other objects will ruin the overall flow and feel of the garden.

David Kibblewhite discusses planting trends & designing borders…

What plants are hot at the moment and why? Plants that attract bees and butterflies are important to people today which involves the use of purple plants such as Alliums, Verbena, Nepeta and Lavender.

Where do you find your inspiration? Inspiration for the whole process of garden design comes from a depth of knowledge and a genuine enthusiasm to encourage my clients to enhance their gardens.

How do you begin the design process? After an initial discussion, I carry out a survey of the garden which helps me to get a sense of the space and how it relates to the house and landscape around it.

How would you ensure interest in your borders all year round? This is what most clients ask for.  In reality a garden is a living, breathing natural space which evolves and changes through the seasons. To fill a garden with evergreen shrubs would make it green all year but there would be limited seasonal interest. The colours and textures of spring, summer and autumn are vital to create a vibrant garden. The frost on the various plant shapes in the winter is an added bonus. The skill of choosing plants with a long season is crucial.

The team at Frogheath Landscapes explain how to create a successful patio…

Should and how can a patio reflect the design of a house? Ideally a patio should be large enough to accommodate a table and chairs, pots for colour and still provide enough space to move around comfortably. The size should be proportionate to the width and length of the house. A small patio next to a large house can easily look out of scale and too mean. The type and scale of the materials chosen for the paving should also echo the style of the house – large contemporary slabs might look wrong outside a small cottage where bricks or cobbles would be more in keeping.

What’s the most dateless style to go for? Natural stone or bricks are still the classic, timeless choice.

How would you break up the ‘block’ feeling that a patio can sometimes have? Using the skills of a good garden designer would be a good way to prevent your patio looking like a block of hard paving. Tricks of the trade include using more than one material, breaking up the space with planting and choosing a non-rectangular shape such as a soft curve.

What are your recommendations for pots and planting? Again, the pots should be in scale with the house and the paved area and should echo the overall style. Don’t forget the importance of winter colour and using grasses in pots can introduce movement to an otherwise static paved space.

Adam Idle

David Kibblewhite

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