Bristol-based Katherine Roper has designed some enchanting small gardens. She takes us through three of them.

1. Small Country Garden

The brief: The client wanted to maximise an awkward, triangular space. There was also a slope – over 1.5 metres fall from top to bottom.
The materials: Katherine created a journey between three terraced areas. The first is the main seating area which comprises handmade red bricks on edge surrounded by Indian Limestone. This steps down onto the largest hexagonal terrace, laid to lawn. A short stone stepped pathway of former lintels leads to a willow arbour seating area.
The plants: Katherine incorporated a cottage style planting palette including foxgloves, astrantias, roses, lavenders, wild strawberries, clematis and thyme.

2. Elegant City Garden

The Brief: This garden situated in the heart of Clifton in Bristol was once a backyard of raised beds and ribbed decking. The client wanted to level the garden as much as feasible and create a calm and tranquil garden with lush planting for entertaining.
Materials: The back gate was used as the main door into the property, so a comfortable route to the house was important. This gate was designed to match the trelliswork, and the back wall was painted aubergine so that it no longer domintated the space and instead provided a backdrop to the lush planting.
Planting: Feature plants such as a Tree Fern, Banana plant, Euphorbia millifera, Nandina domesticas, Bamboos, Box balls, Stipa arundinacea and Nepeta.

3. Family Garden

The brief: Create a family garden with a lawn large enough for children to play football that wouldn’t wreck the plants. The client wanted a raised herb garden incorporated. The style was to be elegant in a more contemporary design plan but using more traditional materials that matched the brick house.
The materials: Reclaimed London stock bricks matched the house, while Indian Sandstone paving and consolidated gravel for a seating area at the end of the garden which enjoys the evening sun.
The plants: The planting is lush and bold throughout the garden, with predominantly green foliage plants. The rear of the garden incorporated silver birch to add privacy, underplanted with ferns, luzulas, foxgloves, euphorbias, anemones and hellebores providing year round interest.

If you are charmed by Katherine’s designs, have a look at her website.

Please note that all the images here are protected by copyright. Credits are displayed when you hover your mouse over the photo.