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07.05.2024 - 10:31 / houseandgarden.co.uk
Pale brick pavers, laid in a herringbone pattern, run from the open-plan ground floor out into the garden, creating a seamless transition between the two spaces.
There is a particular style of elevated simplicity that is anything but simple. You will find it in the cut of a cashmere sweater from Loro Piana, in the glaze of Edmund de Waal’s porcelain pots and in the gardens designed by Luciano Giubbilei, our Garden Designer of the year for 2024. Although born in Siena, Luciano has been based in London for 30 years and these days mainly works on large-scale projects in rural settings. But he retains an Italianate emphasis on proportion and balance that is especially evident within the confines of his smaller city garden designs.
Three years ago, Luciano created this tiny green jewel of a garden in west London that perfectly illustrates his skills. ‘It was a simple space adjoining a communal garden,’ he explains. ‘But it required harmony in every element – the height of the tree canopy, the placing of the sculpture, the tapestry of foliage and the relationship between the garden and the interior of the house.’
Barbara Hepworth's sculpture ‘Youth’, from her series ‘The Family of Man’ is at the heart of the planting.
The project was a collaboration with interior designer Steven Volpe, whose San Francisco studio is known for producing quietly sleek, sensuous schemes and who, like Luciano, has a reputation for furnishing spaces with art. A sculpture by Barbara Hepworth entitled Youth (from her The Family of Man series) provides a distinctive anchor at the heart of the planting in this garden, as well as an eye-catcher from inside the house.
‘We thought as carefully about how that vignette is framed when you are looking at it from
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Twenty-five years ago when my wife Kathy and I started searching for a new home for our growing family, she focused on all the qualities one looks for in a new house. I, of course, looked at what every gardener considers imperative—the lot. Thanks to Kathy, we ended up with a wonderful new place. And much to my delight, the property had one particularly important feature—good soil. The other nice bonus was that the backyard bordered a small city park, with lots of open space for the kids to play, so my garden design did not have to include an area for kicking a soccer ball. Plant-wise, however, there wasn’t much other than invasive shrubs and trees. So after removing all the nasty invasives, I had a clean slate to work with.
Starting a new garden from scratch can be daunting, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to create exactly what you want. The vision I had for my new garden (two decades ago) was based on the many small English gardens that I was lucky enough to visit—not the gardens with impeccably maintained lawns and neatly clipped hedges, but those that had plants spilling out of every nook and cranny. Since its inception, the landscape has been slowly undergoing a transformation over the past decade, from a traditional shade garden to a more naturalistic one that embraces an ecology-first mindset. This evolution, however, hasn’t sacrificed the original intention of my dream garden—that it be a visually appealing space with plenty of activity.
I have grown alliums for their stunning architectural form for years, but one is by far my favorite: ‘Ambassador’. Although its bulb is related to garlic, onions, and shallots, this ornamental garden variety is a show-stopper. There are many other allium cultivars out there, ranging in size, color, and form, but ‘Ambassador’ rises to the top of my list for a lot of reasons.
May is historically the hungry gap in the vegetable garden, because it is the time when the winter crops run out and before the summer crops get going. If you have been well organised, you may have some early crops of salad leaves, broad beans, radishes and even strawberries to harvest towards the end of the month – as well as asparagus, which is at its prime now. But the main focus this month is the sowing, nurturing and tending of your crops, as growth accelerates. Potatoes should be earthed up so the tubers are not exposed to light, while peas and broad beans need supporting with pea sticks or canes and twine as they get bigger. Weeding must be done regularly (little and often is my motto) and, if the weather is dry, watering is essential. It is best done as a thorough soak every few days rather than a scant daily sprinkling. At the start of May, I sow tender crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and courgettes in seed trays and individual pots. I keep these in the greenhouse until later in the month, when it has warmed up and they can go outside. As the month goes on, the focus shifts to planting out. I find it very satisfying to be able to plant a neat row of seedlings along a garden line, rather than try the lottery of direct sowing into the ground, then thinning out. Using the no-dig method, I will have already prepared my beds with a layer of well-rotted compost. Just before planting out, I will rake the bed to break down any larger clods and give the seedlings a better chance of establishing.
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As the sun begins to shine again and temperatures rise, there's no better place to be than outdoors, soaking up the relaxed atmosphere of an Ibiza garden. With its laid-back vibe, natural elements, and bohemian style, the Ibiza garden is a trend that has firmly established itself in modern outdoor spaces. Fancy adding a touch of Ibiza to your garden or terrace? Then follow these simple steps and transform your outdoor space into an oasis of Ibiza ambiance.
How GardenAdvice.co.uk for Beginners Can Empower Your Gardening Journey
Bridgerton is coming to Chelsea this month, as Netflix makes its debut at the flower show, with a garden themed around its popular TV show. First time Chelsea designer Holly Johnston has created a garden based on the personal journey of the show’s main character, Penelope Featherington. The Bridgerton Garden is part of the Sanctuary Gardens area at the show.