Image: Georgia's seating area

You've been invited on an exclusive tour around the European-inspired garden of the award-winning garden designer Georgia Lindsay. Although it may not be thriving with spring and summer-flowering plants quite yet, we're still able to see it when it's in full bloom and in full use!

Georgia's garden features three main zones: A seating area, a vegetable patch/flower garden, and a Zen hammock and play area for her kids, which can be reached via a bridge and pond. All zones burst with life come the flowering months, and we're excited to say that this is the first of many garden tours you will see on our blog this year! Let's dive in... 

The Seating Area

The seating area was inspired by the intricate curves and elements seen in Gaudi's Gardens (Artigas Gardens), in Barcelona. "The curved raised beds blend into the rendered seat with a bull-nosed edge just as Gaudi’s curved seat at Parc Guel wraps around the front terrace overlooking the rooftops of Barcelona," says Georgia. “It was vital that the seat becomes a sculptural piece in its own right. Even without cushions, it should be a beautiful object.”

The space uses complementing tones, from the pale stonework to the light cement on the seating area, even to the creamy white fencing. "Material selection was very important in replicating the strong contrasts between light and shade. Gaudi’s rooftop at Casa Milà, popularly known as La Pedrera or ‘The stone quarry’ does this brilliantly and is a striking example of modernist design... Sourcing the right stone to reflect this was key. I settled on a fine-grained Sandstone from the Gwalior region of India. The composition of Sandstone comprises quartz, mica and lithic fragments, like shells. This gave the reflective elements just the right quality, echoing the surfaces of Casa Milà." 

Image: Gaudi’s rooftop at Casa Milà

Harmonious greenery sits around the edge of this area, completing the overall effect. With both shaded areas and sunny spots, the plants here needed to be chosen carefully. Olive and Fig trees sit in the sun, along with a selection of sun-loving plants (Heuchera sanguinea, Peonia lactiflora, and Chamaerops humilis to name just a few). In the shade, you will find an assortment of ferns and plants, adding an extra layer of lush greenery that can often be found in the Mediterranean.  “The North facing aspect is made up of two rendered feature 6 ft walls to bounce further light into the space... The planting on this side consists of Solanum Alba cascading over the fence, as well as a raised bed which contains Polypodium vulgare, Asplenium, Cyrotomiumfortunei, and two feature pots with Phormium tenax.”

Her Mediterranean inspiration can certainly be felt in this space, and we can imagine this spot is perfect for relaxing throughout summer, with a tipple of choice in hand! With ample seating, mood lighting, and plants aplenty, it's easy to see why this is the first stop on Georgia's garden tour. 

The Veg Zone

Moving up the garden and using the elegant ‘sweeping bull-nosed steps’, you will find the vegetable-come-flower-bed area.“The vegetable patch is very much my partner’s domain. However, I really wanted this area to be framed so the sight line from the sunken terrace was edged with flowers.” In this area, you will find a well-placed row of Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’. “It’s a great robust plant to edge a border and gives such a long-lasting impact. It’s perfect at this time of year when the veg patch is a bit sparse and the dried flower heads add a structural border.” 

Image: Sedum 'Autumn Joy'

With a well-placed gravel walkway and an abundance of greenery, this spot is an allotment lover’s dream. “The gravel path circles around the shaded part of the garden and wraps around the veg bed leaving as much light to fall on the crops. Here we also have our morning bench which catches the first light and is the perfect place to contemplate the garden jobs for the day.”

Image: Georgia's morning bench

In the vegetable patch, you’ll find a regular rotation of crops: radishes, chard, green beans, asparagus, and courgettes are just a few of the crops that are grown here throughout the year. “We experiment each year with something new. This year we will be growing artichokes, which are wonderful for pollinators and the seed heads will add a dramatic focal point in the winter.” 

The Wild Hammock Zone

Past the veggie patch and along a boardwalk bridge, you will find Georgia’s ‘wild hammock zone’ - complete with shade-friendly plants, a play area for her kids, and a well-placed hammock.“The dense leaf cover in this wooden area of the garden is perfect for chilling out on a very hot day. There is nothing more relaxing than gently swaying and looking up through the canopy of the trees to catch glimpses of blue-sky glistening through the sunlit leaves.”  

Image: Georgia's bridge and morning bench


At the moment, this is purely a relaxation/play zone. “This area has our kid’s playhouse and trapeze ropes, so we avoid growing any plants here”, explains Georgia “But when the kids get a bit older, we plan to cultivate this area with snowdrops, bluebells and wood anemones”.

Georgia’s versatile garden has it all: modern architecture, plants in abundance, a workable vegetable patch, and space for her children to be children.

“I love the journey through my garden. The crunch of gravel leading to the bridge and pausing to sneak up on the frog party in the pond. Through the rose arch into the wooden play zone. There are so many surprises along the way, it’s so easy to get lost in the moment and forget the task at hand. That’s the beauty of being in your own garden and gently pottering from one job to the next. Sometimes the job for that day may not be completed but there’s always tomorrow.”  

                 

Georgia Lindsay is a talented garden designer, working with clients in London and the surrounding areas. Learn more about Georgia's garden design services on her website, or follow her for live updates on her Instagram.

Did you enjoy Georgia's garden tour? Stay tuned, as there's more to come this year!