Katya's Profile

Our garden is only about 50 feet long and backs onto the sea wall on the Thames Estuary, so height is important to provide shelter from sea winds. We have recently replaced a small lawn with reclaimed York paving slabs and I have focused on architectural planting with evergreens such as ceanothus and pyracanthus and big spikey plants that can cope with salt winds such as yucca, phormiums, and cordyline. A phoenix has also done well. When we first came here I planted roses which are now very mature, and we also benefit from luxuriant honeysuckle and jasmine planted several years ago by a neighbour. For flowers, I rely on perennials I put in years ago, among them bluebells, aguilegia and marigolds, together with more recent additions of astilbe and a white agapanthus, and I have just planted some cyclamens to keep things cheerful into winter. I have also planted hebe near the house to provide all-year interest without obscuring the view to the back of the garden, where a seating area is approached through an arch now covered with two types of honeysuckle and our neighbour's jasmine. Most of my plants have been chance acqusitions but though there have been some losses they seem to have worked well in terms of form and cover.