DECKING

Built of hardwood it has been left to weather naturally rather than being brightly painted and is our summer barbecue area and general viewpoint for the garden and hills.

The planting has a more mediterranean feel (although I have included my grandfather's favourite dahlias!). Look up at the deck from the lawn and it is quite different from the planting when you stand on the deck and look out. I have used a lot of blue with orange here - Monet's favourite colour scheme. The garden looking out from this area was planned to mirror the naturally flowing lines of the distant landscape.

I love formal lines but with such a 'hit you in the face' line of hills I decided to go with it, that plus 2 good mature trees, the Cherry and the Willow - hence 'Toad Hall' we presume.

Among the climbers on the pergola is a 'Kiwi fruit' - lets hope it proves warm enough for fruit (none so far).

The Deck overlooks the 'Games Lawn'. We have a large family and a flat playing area was essential. We saved a lot of topsoil from excavations at the front and piled it in mounds, then had a day with a mini-digger flattening it and carving out the rockery area.

The Long Border

Edging the Games Lawn, the pink and purple in this border give a more distant feel and doesn't fight with the view. It is also beginning to shield the bright blue swimming pool we inherited.