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Epsiode 5: Georgian Garden Design

The Crous family were moving from a 3000m² property in Northcliff to a cluster in Inanda.

The architecture of their new home was distinctly Georgian and they were keen to emulate this opulence in their new garden. It was imperative that their garden be a fluid extension of their home, so that the spacious internal feel of the house was experienced outside too.

The design team had two primary objectives. Make the space appear larger visually whilst retaining viewer interest.

In line with typical Georgian gardens the garden had a strong formal inclination, yet a playful informal attribute was achieved, in line with the families needs. The symmetry of the garden design included a definite central axis, clearly articulating clarity of lines by employing geometric patterns, hard landscaping, stylised planting and clipped green hedges and topiaries.

As the garden designers, we were faced with a major challenge, in that the perimeter walls are 6 meters tall. This overwhelming vertical concrete horizon was diluted by simply planting rows of poplar trees. Poplars are fast growing, whilst maintaining a relatively narrow shape, ideal in smaller gardens where space is limited. The movement achieved by the way poplar branches and leaves move added additional visual excitement. The poplars also behaved as stage curtains on either side of the Magnolia standards. These Magnolias were planted in such a fashion that they are to be pleached in time. Pleaching is the garden landscape art where standard or lolly-pop shaped plants are grown and intertwined to form and aerial hedge or a hedge on stilts.

English box hedges, sheenas gold hedges and eunymous hedges were planted as subtle accents along the perimeter of the flower beds.

All Seasons evergreen lawn was chosen as the best lawn for this garden, in that the tall perimeter walls left the garden with large shade patches for many hours of the day.

Highlights within this garden were the exceptionally unique 18th century stylised rustic antique pots. They created a vista, carrying the eye forward and making the garden larger by adding a secondary axis. The pots create an intriguing combination of the beauty of living things and the art of finely made objects.

This Georgian garden style never blinks and it never falters. The design is clean and uncluttered, mimicking the architecture of the home. There is a unique restfulness in the regularity of the garden design; it promises control and perfection, soothing our busy lives

Click here if you would like to FAST TRACK an enquiry to have a Verge garden designed and installed especially for your home.

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