Pocket-sized Front Garden in Dublin

I love redesigning front gardens.  They really do mean a lot and say so much about your house. Every time the people who lived here left their house, they were met with this vista, (below). Grey gravel, an imposing compost bin and an unsuitable tree all aligned with a breeze block wall, thus making a dreary start to any journey.





Where pirvacy is needed there is none and where the source of light is strongest stands a solid green lump of a tree. It is a wonder a yellow rose grew and flowered in this urban outdoor space.





There really was only one thing for it..... a total overhaul. As city garden space is at a premium we had to accommodate a compost bin somewhere .





I designed a smart city garden with a central gravel area surrounded by lovely evergreen plants including: bay laurel hedging, dwarf hebe, winter hardy ferns,escalonia red dream and clipped bay trees. Mixed through, as a striking splash of deepest red, is heuchera palace purple. This will provide frothy white flowers in early summer. Hellebores in damson and white add long lasting spring colour.





Replacing walls with true to vintage iron railings and introducing a beautiful standard photinia "red robin" focal point, the garden instantly felt more open and enlivened while still being very low maintenance.
We moved the compost bin to an accessible corner, making it more useable from the path. Surrounding it with scented laurel should keep summer odours at bay.
Using buff gravel as a central area and deep bark mulched planting to the sides, we have mazimised the space, made it feel more alive while remaining quite structured.





Now complete with open rainlings, clipped bay trees and small evergreen shrubs, this pocket sized garden is a joy to walk through and a delight from both house and street view.