Country Garden, Hertfordshire

The owner of this beautiful listed house approached garden designer duo, Ian Kitson and Julie Toll to imagine a radical overhaul of the garden surrounded by fields in rural Hertfordshire. They transformed the blank canvas which was a raised lawn area close to the house, into large borders filled with cool toned perennials such as Verbena bonariensis, Penstemon and Salvia 'Blue Spire'. These are mixed with the sliver foliage of Phlomis italica and Pseudodictamnus mediterraneus, whilst clipped yew cones bring structure to the planting. They drew a narrow path snaking through the borders and leading to a large birdcage-style seating area standing at one end. In early autumn, the edges of the path are softened by the billowing of the soft planting. Further from the house, the garden becomes wilder and is dotted with mature trees ands shrubs such as a crap apple laden with fruits. At the front of the house, a large layer of tarmac was removed and filled with vibrant perennials such as Rudbeckias and Asters mixed with ornamental grasses, surrounding multi-stemmed trees. A beautifully decorated fern house has been installed, now home to a collection of Dicksonia antarctica.