Garden Photo of the Day

A French Garden in the UK

Making a small space feel huge

garden with lots of varied foliage and no flowers

Today we’re off to the UK to visit with Fabrice.

Hello, my name is Fabrice. I am French and live in the UK. I acted in France for a long a very long time, but due to health problems I have had to stop. I’m mad about gardening and can’t live without it.

foliage plants in containers on a patioA diversity of shade-loving plants in containers creates a magical garden space. The colors of the containers blend into the background of the wall and paving. Shorter containers are in the front, while taller ones in the back lift the garden up to meet vines growing on the wall and even containers mounted on the wall itself, creating a dynamic garden in a small space.

plants in large containersNever think trees and shrubs are the only ways to get height in the garden! A tall container overflowing with plants dominates in the foreground, teasing views of more of the garden beyond.

small garden full of vinesThis garden feels more like a tropical jungle than the UK, with vines growing everywhere to cover every surface with green.

garden with lots of varied foliage and no flowersThere are virtually no flowers in this garden. Instead, carefully chosen plants, vines, and pruned shrubs fill it with a million shades of green and textures of leaves.

chair surrounded by plants and shrubsI love seeing the nearly sheered topiaries scattered throughout this garden. Normally I see those shapes of shrubs in strictly formal gardens, but here they’re tucked into, and provide a wonderful contrast with, the lush jungle-like growth.

wooden garden chair surrounded by lush plantsWhat a magical place to sit and enjoy this garden!

hostas in ferns in the gardenFerns and hostas are wonderful companions, thriving in the same conditions, and their very different textured leaves perfectly complement each other.

What an inspiring garden! The space is clearly very small, but careful planting that makes great use of vertical space helps it feel huge and complex.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

View Comments

Comments

  1. PattyLouise 04/19/2021

    Wow! Beautiful! Would love to walk around & explore every area! Very inviting!

  2. User avater
    treasuresmom 04/19/2021

    I love seeing gardens from other countries. This is amazing!

  3. User avater
    simplesue 04/19/2021

    I'm almost at a loss for words to describe how much I LOVE your garden- I can't stop staring at the photos! Wow!
    I've always loved the natural sophistication of a well designed foliage garden only accented with a few flowers- and this foliage garden is perfection....something magical and artistic tucked into every space- water, statues, iron, beautiful pots, old wooden teak chair, iron sculpture rods, the ornamental bird cage with the door symbolically open....and all so established with mature vines and plants, only the kind of beauty that time can give a garden.
    Perfection!

  4. gardendevas 04/19/2021

    WOW! What a magical place. Love the rich architectural elements and fascinating details. A beautifully woven garden of layers and intrigue. Thanks for sharing.

  5. User avater
    user-7007816 04/19/2021

    What a magical place you have created. So original and beautiful.

  6. wittyone 04/19/2021

    Well, this is beautiful. Usually I don't like topiaries, but these placed in among all your vines and plants make for a great contrast. Very lush, green, and inviting. A person could get lost in there and happily wander around for days!

  7. User avater
    cynthia2020 04/19/2021

    Salut, Fabrice. Quel magnifique jardin! Luxuriant.
    J'aime particulièrement l'utilisation des Cyatheales (?), des topiaires et des nichoirs tissés.
    Meilleurs voeux pour un rétablissement complet de votre maladie.

  8. btucker9675 04/19/2021

    Fabulous!!! I kept looking for fairies and/or hobbits peeking out. You have created an enchanted garden in every sense of the word. Merci for sharing!!

  9. Cenepk10 04/19/2021

    So lovely !!! What a collection of containers & plants- Then the placement is so visually stunning ! The combos of ferns & hostas are glorious. Love the masterful design & thankful for you sharing !!!!

  10. Cenepk10 04/19/2021

    Reminds me of Rose Uniacke’s conservatory garden. Fabulous.

    1. User avater
      cynthia2020 04/20/2021

      Cenepk10 - thanks for mentioning Rose Uniacke’s conservatory garden - I looked up some photos.

    2. User avater
      simplesue 04/21/2021

      Oh thanks for the lead, I google and found it! European gardens have that old world charm!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest