Happy Friday Gpoters!
We began our week in Germany, admired the spring with Jana’s unforgettable garden (Jana’s forgotten difference in Germany’s Jana’s), and concluded the week in Europe to revisit the British gardens in an incredibly tropical atmosphere. Four years ago we introduced Fabris Al, a French transplant living in Chigwell, Essex, England. We were totally engrossed in Fabris’ garden at the time, but we quickly realized that this second submission led to further investigation and not only was he surprised by his designs.
The garden was runner-up in the 2017 Daily Mail National Garden Competition and was awarded second place by Best Small Garden Garden Gardens News. It was featured in BBC TV Gardeners World 2017, ITV Good Morning Britain 2018, and Garden News in April 2023. In addition to that, Fabris and his partner Martin each year open the garden to the public to participate in the UK National Garden Scheme. As part of this incredible nonprofit initiative, they called Garden “The Delves” and were part of raising millions of pounds for UK nursing and health charities. Despite all the praise and achievements, these are the humble words Fabrice has for his impressive space.
My little garden where I can finally relax and forget about the buildup of Chigwell.
The taste of “before” and “after”. The photo on the left shows a 1998 space with basic shrubs and small grass areas. This is a scene that many people perceive as a rather traditional British backyard. On the right you can see how Fabris completely transformed the spaces and created something that is not recognisable from “previous”.
Today, the space is full of tropical, lush colours and more plants than you can count. The narrow pathway allows Fabris, Martin and garden guests to enter and explore, and the tan color used contrasts with the green boundaries from all angles.
Beyond the leaves, it is surrounded by a typical British neighbourhood, but inside the garden it is transported to a carefully curated jungle. Trees of different sizes lend to the “wild” of the scene, and Fabris strategically uses hanging baskets and various pots to create an incredible layer that blocks the outside world.
The garden is also littered with gorgeous accessories, art and an array of design elements. The chairs are not only a seat, but another opportunity to add art to the garden, with a fantastic mix of hardscape materials creating even more characters, and every inch of this space is used for interesting things. Do you think there is still room for water function in this small garden?
Clay, stone, wood and metal are all gathered together for an interesting, eye-catching, yet still warm and attractive design. Making the leafy plants a major feature of the garden definitely helps with aggregation, but Fabris saves some bright flowers.
Thank you for your enchanting garden, another incredible tour of Fabrice! I hope you will get great results on your open day this summer. Your garden should be a pure joy for first-hand experience.
Fabrice knows he’s far from the only gardener who opens gardens for local tours. Who else is preparing for a group of enthusiastic garden guests to visit their space this spring or summer? In the comments, let us know what garden tours you are taking on. And consider all your garden photos primed and prepared for that big day! Follow the instructions below to send a photo by email or DM via Instagram: @girlherdogandtheroad.
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