tthe garden

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	The back garden has a gate leading out into an unmade lane, its orientation is north-east with a length of about 100 feet and a width of about 60 feet. Most was originally lawn, with flower beds and some unidentified fruit trees and many mature rose bushes and carnation plants. Our notion for the garden is to transform it into a sustainable garden with a mediterranean feel. This will include growing fruits and vegetables in raised beds constructed of green oak sleepers and more fruit trrees including two cherry trees and a quince tree. We have ideas of boxing apples to last through the winter and giving up bananas! Our original garden design included a number of areas - wild grasses, wild flowers to attract insects, a "harmony" area in the form of a circle of trees and planters. The lawn will be largely teplaced by a covering of shingle. The design process for the garden is organic, and will respond to how things develop over time and what copes with the coastal climate. We have planted sunflower seeds which we hope will attract birds. The front garden is south facing with a view across a field to the sand dunes, very sunny but affected by prevailing south westerly winds so it is even more important for the plants to be self sufficient. Many of the plants we have collected at previous houses in Whitstable and Camber. We hnow have a garden studio and workshop in the back garden, constructed of green oak and weatherboard in a traditional Sussex barn style. Influences for the garden include Beth Chatto's garden as well as Christopher Lloyd's Great Dixter. Click here for an update on how the garden was developing in September 2010. Click the thumbnails for larger images.