It takes many years for a garden to reach maturity and look established within its surroundings. Plantings are more established, paths become worn and have a patina, hedges broaden, everything is a little more higgledy-piggledy than in a newly created garden. So when a mature garden needs some TLC spending on it, it’s important to mimic some of these effects so that the additions don’t look incongruent.

Over the years we have discovered ways to manage mature garden maintenance.

Firstly, we try to re-cycle as much of the existing planting from a garden as possible. Some pruning may be necessary, but many older plants and bushes can be saved and reused.

Where new pathways are needed, we search for materials that imitate old pathways. Carefully chosen hard landscaping materials can give your garden a timeless feel. In a recent project for a client we used Chelmer Valley Cotswold Blend Brick Pavers. The stone is brown to yellow in an aged finish with occasional blush tones for effect. It’s perfect for classic restoration and for renovation work for period properties.

The result was a clay path with great character. It looks like it has always been there and is not shiny new and bold, jarring the appearance of this beautiful garden.

For the same project we needed decking. For this we found we used Embered Millboard. With a stunning black weathered look, it’s Inspired by the Japanese Yakisugi technique. Moulded from 100-year old reclaimed oak timber, it has a distinctive worn look – without the 100-year wait. It’s also slip and stain resistant and neither does it rot or warp like wood.

To find out how we can help you with mature garden maintenance while updating its design for your home – contact us now.