‘New Life @ No.6′

BBC Gardeners’ World Live,
RHS Silver Medal
Facade Garden 2009

Well we did it, and achieved Silver in just 10 Weeks!! Thank you to all of you who donated items, gave your support and those that came to visit. ‘New Life @ No.6′ was inspired by a friend and her two young children. It is an edible garden based on the colour wheel.Through colour and planting, two distinct but obviously linked areas are provided. One is vibrant to stimulate the children, with opportunities to learn about growing food and observing wildlife, whilst the other is more sedate, where adults can relax and watch the children play.This garden is intended as a colourful and productive garden to inspire the children to play outside. They are provided with suitable sized tools, their own patch of ground and plenty of encouragement.The images above show the build up of the garden and the individual colourful elements.My husband, know for this project as ‘Two Drill’s Darren’, is the driving force behind my projects.

The toy boxes and small table are painted wine boxes and the chairs were rescued from someone’s wood store.

The Dustbin Lid Pond has a Corsican mint edge which is intended to be leaned on to release the fragrance. The stone around the edge of the pond was dug out of the garden.

The strawberries dangle nicely over the edge of the raised bed so they stay clean.

The orange and red segment contained Apples, Nasturtium, Tagetes and Calendula to name but a few. Painted
bamboo canes provided co-ordinating supports for the Tomato.

A mirror behind a gate (for safety) offers another dimension to the garden.

Old work boots also get a makeover with Cuprinol Garden Shades and contrasting plants.

You can see that the children have just kicked off their boots to rush in for lunch after a busy morning in the garden.

Don’t throw away your broken plant pots; to the left of the door you can see how to use them to create tiny gravel gardens for Sempervivum, Sedum or alpines.

To the right of the door can be seen the use of clay drainage pipes to grow young herbs.

Tea Thyme anyone or Lemon Balm, Black Peppermint or Chamomile? The tea ingredients were planted in suitable sized pots and then grown in this tea set, kindly loaned to us by a considerate client.
Lush planting was created around the wood pile give a refuge for wildlife.

There are two hanging baskets in the garden containing (left) tomato sauce ingredients and (right) colourful herbs. Baskets were purchased from charity stalls, lined with coloured carrier bags and tea towels and hung from sink brackets.

The compost bin was made from pallet wood and the raised beds from fence panels.

Darren and I were photographed for the Birmingham evening post. ‘New Life @ No. 6’ also appeared briefly on the Gardeners’ World Live television program where Joe Swift presented from it.

Recycled materials were used wherever possible, some are mentioned here. If you would like to know about other recycled items used in the garden please get in touch.

For a list of plants used in the above garden Click Here