Garden Design

Today we’re off to the UK to visit with Fabrice.

Hello, my name is Fabrice. I am French and live in the UK. I acted in France for a long a very long time, but due to health problems I have had to stop. I’m mad about gardening and can’t live without it.

foliage plants in containers on a patioA diversity of shade-loving plants in containers creates a magical garden space. The colors of the containers blend into the background of the wall and paving. Shorter containers are in the front, while taller ones in the back lift the garden up to meet vines growing on the wall and even containers mounted on the wall itself, creating a dynamic garden in a small space.

plants in large containersNever think trees and shrubs are the only ways to get height in the garden! A tall container overflowing with plants dominates in the foreground, teasing views of more of the garden beyond.

small garden full of vinesThis garden feels more like a tropical jungle than the UK, with vines growing everywhere to cover every surface with green.

garden with lots of varied foliage and no flowersThere are virtually no flowers in this garden. Instead, carefully chosen plants, vines, and pruned shrubs fill it with a million shades of green and textures of leaves.

chair surrounded by plants and shrubsI love seeing the nearly sheered topiaries scattered throughout this garden. Normally I see those shapes of shrubs in strictly formal gardens, but here they’re tucked into, and provide a wonderful contrast with, the lush jungle-like growth.

wooden garden chair surrounded by lush plantsWhat a magical place to sit and enjoy this garden!

hostas in ferns in the gardenFerns and hostas are wonderful companions, thriving in the same conditions, and their very different textured leaves perfectly complement each other.

What an inspiring garden! The space is clearly very small, but careful planting that makes great use of vertical space helps it feel huge and complex.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

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