Garden tidy in West Norfolk

The climbing roses in this courtyard garden were thriving. Growing through the borders and lawn, they had wound themselves through furniture, shrubs and trees. To add to the confusion, brambles were creeping in from all sides.

The brief, to tame the garden, while retaining the exuberance and keeping the roses healthy and vigorous. After 4 hours, the garden was clear of brambles and weeds, the shrubs had been pruned and the lawn mown and over-seeded. Most importantly the roses had been untangled and secured, ready for renovation (hard pruning and training) in winter.

Renovating a Yew Arbour near Downham Market

The owner envisioned this seating area as a yew arbour with a contorted hazel growing through the centre and cascading over the top. The plants had other ideas. Over time, the yew arch had become lopsided and overgrown, while the hazel collapsed inward, leaving no room to sit on the bench.

The brief: restore that original vision and create a formal topiary archway with a twisted hazel at its heart.

The before-and-after photos show one day’s progress. Renovation on this scale is a gradual process, not a one-visit fix. As the yew regrows and fills out, the arbour will be much easier to maintain, but like all good topiary, it will reward annual attention from a trained eye.