Keyhole shaped raised vegetable beds and herbs are placed close to the kitchen in this steep city garden. Ornamental plantings are inspired by wildflower meadows and are beautiful and brilliant for bees and insects too.
Planting was completed September 2016 so we look forward to the plants filling in. In early 2015 we completed a full section concept plan for the property and constructed the courtyard, gardens and orchard over 2015-16.
The garden is pretty special, with stone walls, mortise and tenon redwood pergola, corten steel steps, macro keyhole vegetable beds, herbs, ornamental garsses and a micro orchard. The owners were very sad to unexpectedly have to leave “The number one item on our list of reasons to stay was the wonderful garden you built for us, and which we have enjoyed mightily, particularly for the past 3 summers.” Their real estate agents like it too:
Vegetable and Herb Beds: Before (Left) and After (Right). We created these macrocara raised beds in keyhole shapes that fit into the hillside and allow easy all around access to the beds. They also give maximum garden bed area in a small space. Planted as soon as they were completed in November they have been very productive in their first summer.
Here ornamental grasses combine with herbs, softening the front of the raised vegetable beds.
The path to the glasshouse.
Echinacea is an exquisite North American medicinal prairie plant, it combines beautifully with ornamental grasses and is loved by bees and butterflies.
A Redwood & Macrocapa pergola with a built in bench seat provides a sense of enclosure and screening from the street.
Chokeberry – delicious berries and beautiful autumn colour
Sweeping sleeper steps between new stone walls provide a private entrance to the new courtyard. (photo at completion)
Native Rainbow grass and meadow flowers at the house entry – photo one year after planting
A bright and naturalistic meadow garden makes for a welcoming street frontage. Native rainbow grass is combined with rudbeckia, chocolate cosmos, red-hot pokers and anise hyssop, providing food and habitat for bees and birds.
Our Concept Planting Plan
