Directions
Benenden House
I came to this garden originally to redeem a long border for the client. It had nothing but half dead shrubs, weeds and poor soil condition from years of unintended neglect. We stripped the border of any old shrubbery, any that could be saved were used elsewhere around the garden, we then proceeded to import a layer of fresh topsoil mixed with manure and composted bark to boost the nutrition levels, we applied the no dig technique with exception to removing the shrubs and perennial weeds such as dandelion and hogweed, lightly tickling the surface with hoes and rakes to break it down and add air to the soil before layering the above compost.
The planting plan was to be relatively low maintenance, and whilst varying degrees of height added depth, not to be over 6 ft due to seating positions behind the long border that overlook a fantastic view of South Kent out to the coast. With this in mind, we used a mix of bronze and green narrow leaf grasses for a softened effect, scattering a variety of white/red and purple Salvias and white/pink/red Knautia for structure and colour, with a hint of silver and blue using Rosemary and Teucrium to break up the colours and add even more texture to the flowing nature of this border.
We then moved on to the lower bank, which was full of grass and brambles, the bottom was overrun with Yellow Flag Iris and the soil quality had declined over the years through washing out. We applied the same techniques as on the previous border but we kept the more mature shrubs and just shaped them and raised their crowns to get light and air into the bank. The main bank slope we planted up with an assortment of Ferns, Geraniums and Sedums to act as ground cover, these flowed down into the lower part which was planted up with the impression of a meadow. Red and Gold Geums swamping the border, acting like a buttercup cluster, dotted through to break up the colour we used the whites and cream colours of Ox Eye Daisy (a native wild flower, great for pollinators) Leucanthemum, Achillea, Golden Marjoram and Varigated Oregano, mixed in with some very soft grasses to add some flow and make the flowers pop out.
Beyond this it has now become a continually evolving garden through careful maintenance, we now create our own mulch through leaf clearance and mowing and have started to use this on all the renewed beds.
