Please help with my triangular garden!

lizzieparsnips · November 2023

Hi, we moved a few years ago to our current house and garden was mostly a blank canvas. The back garden is a bit of an odd shape (basically a triangle with the narrow pointy bit at the end of the garden.
When we arrived there was a big hedge and fence. We added a flower bed in front of the fence (on the left hand side) but we're struggling to know what to put in front of the hedge. Especially as it needs trimming in August. The wildlife lives the hedge so we wouldn't get rid of it bit as it's hornbeam it doesn't make dor the best view in the Winter.
I have planned a crab apple in the middle of the lawn which we like but think we probably need mote plants! Our kids are older now so loads of lawn isn't a priority but we do like the lawn so wouldn't want to get rid of loads of it.

I've attached pictures as I know it's probably hard to imagine!

We are in N

orfolk and garden is South West facing

JennyJ · November 2023

Designs based on circles help to mask a triangle shape. There's a pic of mine on here somewhere. I'll see if I can find it.

Edit - here they are - a view from the upstairs window and one from as you enter the back garden from the corner of the house, plus a google earth screenshot showing just how pointy and narrow the back garden is. Three circles (one slate chippings with plants growing through, one grass, one setts) and fairly dense tall planting in the borders distracts from the fences that could be quite dominating. The tallest tree at the far corner is actually on the other side of the fence, not on my side.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/dn/fwdhrc14gv9d.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/4u/g2vzbnk9nfe4.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/2v/qeenbaotda7h.png

lizzieparsnips · November 2023

Thank you - yes that makes a lot of sense. We've used some ideas that are along similar lines. The left hand border is curved and there is planting in the pointy bit at the end so that actually you don't notice the shape, just the nice tall shrubs. I'm not sure how to plant in front of the hedge though and still prune it. I guess we'd have to leave a strip for it to grow and room to trim.

Fire · November 2023

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Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6030279/uploads/editor/4g/j5s2vpsb3vfq.jpg

Songbird-2 · November 2023

@lizzyparsnips You could dig out a strip of grass along the hedge and lay some gravel, slabs , stepping stones etc as a means of getting to the hedge to prune or cut it. Then, in front of the new walkway/path, you could dig out some more grass to create some nice borders of any shape you may like and plant up in there. If you did this,you would need to dig the soil that was underneath the grass, really well, aerate it by digging some compost and /or manure, top soil and so on, mix everything together and keep turning it all over. It will be very compacted under the grass. Then you could start with planting whatever you want. Any planting directly under the hedge probably wouldn't do very well as the hedge will be taking all the water and nutrients out of the soil for their own growth. Good luck🙂

Bluejayway · November 2023

@lizzieparsnips Beverley Nicols wrote a book called Green Grows the City (published 1939) and he had a similar situation. Fab book in any case!

lizzieparsnips · November 2023

Thank you- I have ordered from the library!

Please help with my triangular garden!

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