Layered and Lush

If you want a city garden that’s lush and full of interest, think about its design in terms of layers, of different heights, textures, colours and foliage types. “Build up the layers,” says Rachael Matthews of Wellington’s Hedge Garden Design & Nursery. “You need structure, trees and flowers, leaves and light. It’s the evergreen structure that holds a garden together through the seasons.”

Think of the fence or wall as the first layer, with both the pattern and the colour adding interest. A climber adds another layer, but only takes up a narrow space, leaving room for planting with different colours and textures in front.

Vertical planting adds height, but it pays to consider the proportions of the house when deciding what to plant. Rachael likes to use plants with a columnar structure, like beech, hornbeam or Italian cypress. Pleached trees, which are trained initially along wires to form a leafy screen, can help with privacy and add another element to a small garden (see the pleached ornamental pears on page 78 in a garden Rachael designed).  

Hedges can also be layered using different types of plants (see page 76). Cutting one end higher than the other can look effective. Or step the edge of the hedge in and out, leaving space for other planting behind. Clipped balls are lovely for adding softness and curves, and if one dies you can easily pop another one in its place, as even if it’s a different size it will still look fine, says Rachael.