Making a symmetrical Georgian flower border

[JoceAndChris]

Sorry, more on plants- skip over non gardeners!

Anyone know what plants the Georgians used for formal schemes? I've decided on a front and a back for my house now, and that the back (with the turretty porch) can be a cottage garden whilst the front should be strictly formal and symmetrical.

It looks all wrong now, a red rose on one side, a pink on the other, a straggling honeysuckle, a bay tree, tons of New Zealand burr, an improbable giant poppy - all must go.

Anyone want to help me design the new border? (14 metres by 80 cm) It's a sunny, free draining site. All flowers must be pink, white, blue or purple.

It will be great to get on and do this feel-good job, so many of my jobs have reached that horrible "can't do anything about it just yet" stage.

 

[yamin]

Hello there!

Here I am again hopping in with my ha'penneth even though still no expertise to offer, LOL! (But ask me anything about cupcakes, haemaglobin or neutrophils and I'm your girl! Oh, and insults involving the word 'poo' (yeah, 5 yr olds :roll: )). ANyway! How about taking yourself off on a nice National Trust trip - I see in East of England you have a few estates worth looking at, Wimpole Hall, Peckover House, Oxburgh Hall all look worth a look, though whether Georgian or formal enough is hard to say. A nice day trip to find out anyway!

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-beta-map.htm

Or you might see enough online, if you care to look at places like Hanbury Hall or Charlecote, which both have lovely formal gardens.

Can you tell I'm a googlebird? - a search on 'inspiration for a formal Georgian garden' elicited some lovely garden scenes!

http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/gardens/circus.shtml

What a lovely project to have........

 

[worms]

But ask me anything about ... neutrophils and I'm your girl!......

Ah, presumably with drumsticks!

Normal readers please excuse the weak haematological quip...

 

[JoceAndChris]

Normal readers? Who? Where?

Yamin, I'm convinced of your haematological expertise and grateful for your garden recommendations. I keep forgetting I can drive and go on jolly outings now! I have a kind of 40 mile cut off point though.

Will look at all those wonderful places you suggest in more detail tomorrow when have more time.

 

[yamin]

Ah, presumably with drumsticks!

I want to reply but I am 'Barred'! :wink: Now I'm shutting up as neither my knowledge or my hopefully all inclusive manners allows me to go any further along this line. I suspect I would end up with haematological egg on my face anyway!

 

[yamin]

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yamin's suggestion is exactly the same as I was about to give you.In general, a low, tightly clipped box hedge, or a lavender hedge, infilled with roses , standard or shrub is the usual combination. Watch where you source your box though, there is a nasty disease affecting box plants at the moment.
You could be quite wacky and infill your parterre with veg of course, turning it into a potager instead!!

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Sorry, more on plants- skip over non gardeners!

Anyone know what plants the Georgians used for formal schemes? I've decided on a front and a back for my house now, and that the back (with the turretty porch) can be a cottage garden whilst the front should be strictly formal and symmetrical.

It looks all wrong now, a red rose on one side, a pink on the other, a straggling honeysuckle, a bay tree, tons of New Zealand burr, an improbable giant poppy - all must go.

Anyone want to help me design the new border? (14 metres by 80 cm) It's a sunny, free draining site. All flowers must be pink, white, blue or purple.

It will be great to get on and do this feel-good job, so many of my jobs have reached that horrible "can't do anything about it just yet" stage.

Belton (it's only 20 minutes walk if you're quick) Oh, and pink and purple don't work together.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, and pink and purple don't work together.

B*gger. That's just consigned several of my favourite outfits to the bin, then. :wink:

I'm very glad I asked this question as it's suddenly now clear to me what to do with this border on the right. You see how the border on the left has got one of these low yew hedges, so the border on the right needs a matching one. I happen to have plenty of baby yews in the spinney- this will keep me busy, thanks.Or is yew a desperately bad choice?

Gareth- do you think this path is old? I've a hunch it might be, but that's not based on any kind of knowledge.

Off I go to Belton!

 

[Anita]

Box hedging is extremely slow growing. If you want a quicker effect - dwarf hebe's (nice and tight and compact) are a good alternative.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Thanks Anita. Is this a dwarf hebe, do you think?

 

[yamin]

No Joce, quite clearly it is a large, grey tabby cat! :lol: :roll:

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: My daemon.

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yew, especially taxus baccata is absolutely fine, very suitable. Our box has always grown very quickly, planted at 2ft high. clipped right back year one, two and three, fed regularly, and bingo, you've got it where you want it. Both Yew and Box smell heavenly on a hot day.I should plant up your baby yew trees that will save you loadsa£.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Brilliant. I'm still stuffed with the whole pink and purple thing though, you say roses and lavander, so do I, Mr Hughes our Commanding Officer says pink and purple no good. Gareth, might you concede that lavender is blue and would look nice with very pale pink roses? Pleeeeese?

 

[Moo]

Take no notice of Gareth. I'm prepared to bow to his omniscience in the field of mills and old houses, but not when it comes to colour-schemes. One of my favourite outfits combines pink and purple and I think it would be equally successful in a flower border.
I suspect he was brought up in the old "red and green should never be seen" school of design, poor chap.

 

[Flyfisher]

I doubt anyone will be surprised to learn that the web is awash with discussions about colour combinations:
E.g.
http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2007/08/29/forbidden-color-combinations/

Joce, if you like pink and purple then go for it.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

To be honest, I've never been a big fan of "flower" gardens full stop. Some imposing topiary and greensward is what's called for.View attachment 1

 

[JoceAndChris]

Mmmmmmm. Now that's a garden.

But I can't stick bulbous, imposing topiary right up against the house, can I?

Surely there's room for both. Been sitting out there tonight and realised everything's got to go- scruffy holly, giant silver birches, the lot. Topiary and statues. And a fountain. That's what's needed.

 

[worms]

But I can't stick bulbous, imposing topiary right up against the house, can I?

Judging by the new houses built near here, that is the only place to put it! Why does anyone think that a planting a monkey puzzle or weeping willow four feet from their front window is a good idea?