A dramatic new layout transformed this garden into a
space that all the family can enjoy
At first glance the Monaghan family’s garden is all about
parents and children having their own space, but behind the thoughtful layout
and lovely planting lies a strong design. Not surprisingly both Kirsty, 47, and
her husband Bobby, 48, are designers by profession. ‘We both spend so much time
drawing shapes on paper that it’s especially, satisfying to see them translated
onto the ground,’ says Kirsty.
The Monaghan
family relax in a secluded seating area at the end of the garden
It’s now two years since the mother-of-three redesigned
their 26m x 10m outdoor London space, situated behind their five-bedroom
Edwardian terrace. Her plans incorporated several seating areas, winding paths
and flowerbeds, and involved digging up the existing long stretch of grass and
rectangular borders. The redesign tool into account the changing need of the
couple’s children, Jack, 17, Isla, 15, and 10-year-old Romy. ‘They were growing
up and needed to have their own space, but at the same time I wanted a garden
with lots more planrs, where Bobby and I could relax and entertain,’ she
explains.
The new layout is based on interlinking circles of lawn
separated by a sinuous path laid in sand stone setts. This leads from a broad
stone terrace to a raised patio at the far end where the couple enjoy the
evening sin. It was an established magnolia tree that attracted Kirsty and
Bobby to the garden when they first saw it 13 year ago. ‘In the middle of this
peaceful, sunny space the magnolia was in full bloom – it was spectacular,’ she
recalls.
The view looking
back to their Edwardian home
Things started to change when the family invested in a
trampoline for the garden. ‘It was as big as a room and, even though I tried
tucking it away in a corner, you just couldn’t lose sight of it,’ says Kirsty.
However once the children reached an age when they no longer needed close
supervision, the trampoline could be screened behind evergreens in a far
corner. ‘The circular layout means that when Romy outgrows the trampoline I’m
left with a four-metre circle that slots perfectly into the new scheme,’ she
adds.
A major element of Kirsty’s design was levelling the lawn,
something that delighted Bobby. ‘He really disliked the way it sloped and now
that it’s level he thinks it’s one of the best projects we’ve undertaken,’ says
Kirsty. The new lawn has settled in well despite being on heavy clay soil. Each
autumn it’s aerated and a top dressing of soil, sand and fine compost added.
‘It helps to build up a good top layer of soil and the grass doesn’t get waterlogged
like it used to.’
Trimmed box has
been used to defline the raised patio, while lavender fills the gaps and scents
the outdoor seating area
The position of the lawn allows for deeper borders on the
sunny side of the garden, but Kirsty lavishes as much attention on her
north-facing border of evergreen, shade-loving plants. These include viburnum,
camellia and the dwarf cherry laurel ‘Otto Luyken’, and below them
lower-growing box (sarcococca), ferns, bergenias and heucheras. ‘It gives
year-round interest and I love to plant using contrasting leaf sizes, colours
and shapes,’ she says. In the summer perennials such as blue aconites,
alchemilla and hardy geraniums, foxgloves, Japanese anemones and Tellima
grandiflora do well in shady corners. Nearby, in small circular bed, stands a
potted Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’. ‘The red, heart-shaped leaves look
incredible when the sun shines through –like stained glass,’ says Kirsty.
The opposite, sunny side of the garden is planted very
differently, with a number of silver-leaved plants, such as Astelia chathamica,
lYchnis corconaria and Convolvulus cneorum. ‘I find that silvery plants reflect
the light best,’ she says. Aromatic lavender and blue-flowered agapanthus edge
the patio, while the border brims over with daylilies, hardy geraniums,
catmint, salvia and sedums. ‘Sedums look good all year round and roses are
another favorite, not only for their beauty and fragrance, but also because
they provide lots of flowering in little space.
Strong shapes were
key to the design, so Kirsty created circular lawns and a round island bed,
where the stunning Cercis Canadensis takes centre stage
Kirst adores pottering in her garden. ‘You only have
yourself to please and it’s amazing how a few minutes’ weeding turns into
several hours, with no sense of passing time.’ The children too are happy. ‘I
like the way the bushes make a den around the trampoline,’ says Romy. And Jack
agrees, saying: ‘My friends think it’s a great place to chill out.’ Kirsty is
delighted that her design has produced both a flower-filled haven and a social
space. ‘We spend a lot of time out here during the summer so this is a garden
that reflects our family life.’
