Alitura provided the client with a coastal planting plan to brighten up a rather dull corner of this garden, whilst providing a more defined route to the shed and a permanent location for the bin.

The area was leveled and a small retaining wall was incorporated. Reused random paving provided a more defined entrance to the garage and gravel that has been used elsewhere at the property was used as a mulch  to provide continuity. A post and wire support system was installed to encourage Lonicera etrusca to climb and hide the brick wall.

The scheme used Mediterranean plants to suit the sandy soil and accommodate the need for the area to be low maintenance. The colour palette uses purples, yellows and lime green with splashes of oranges. The plants used were Lavendula augustifolia ‘Hidcote’, interspersed with blocks of Santolina chamaecyparissus, Euphorbia robbiae provided height to this otherwise low planting scheme. Stipa tenuissima adds movement and softness, whilst Carex buchanii gives a formality and structure to the entrance area. Eschscholzia californica lifts the scheme by adding splashes of orange and yellow within the planting; the poppies are left to self-seed freely in the gravel to encourage the area to evolve over time.