It was fantastic to see the first episode of RTÉ Super Garden this week. The show kicked off with the Bettystown garden belonging to the Coyle family which was designed by Grace. It was a great start to the series and we are excited to see the next episodes! In this blog we are looking at the before and after pics, and Roisin Lafferty’s tips from Graces Serendipity garden.  

BEFORE:

Before the Bettystown garden was lacking in design inspiration. The Coyle family are a young, busy family that were looking for the opportunity to have a beautiful garden and Grace was given a blank canvas to work with.

AFTER:

Grace has transformed this garden into a feminine, pretty coastal inspired haven bursting with wildlife and planting. Her use of colour has created a subtle, calming backdrop to showcase the planting.

ROISIN’S TOP THREE TIPS 

See Roisin Lafferty’s cuprinol video from episode 1 with her top design tips to take home from Grace’s garden.

1. LAYERING

A great way to add depth to any space is to layer colours and textures. Grace has created a soft, calming backdrop to her garden using cuprinol fresh rosemary on the boundaries. The light colour tone makes the garden feel bigger and helps to define it as an exterior room.

She then used silver birch on the curved pathway and inky stone on the pergola to build up the coastal inspired tones. These colours, although different, complement each other well and create a layered depth to the garden. Her planting adds to this with the different subtle greens, lavenders and pinks. The combination creates a canvas of complimentary layered tones.

Use different complimentary colours to create the depth. Using a lot of the same colours or trying to match things too precisely can have a result of the space looking flat.

2. STYLING

We spend a lot of time decorating and styling ourselves and our homes without much consideration for our gardens.

Grace has cleverly added pretty details and styled touches to finish off her garden to show garden standard. These include her moss chair, painted birdcages, serendipity book and sign and her upcycled watering can planter.

Think of your garden as an extension of your home. It can be the fifth room of your house. Finish it to the same level you would your home; think garden furniture, display items like mirrors, cushions, planters etc. Grace has upcycled the watering can, turning it into a decorative planter which is a quirky detail in the garden. Upcycling and repurposing old items is a great way to inject fun and creativity to your garden. Teapots, jugs and tins can work as pretty planters, especially if creating an outdoor dining space.

She has added pops of colour with the vibrantly painted birdhouses that reflect the bloom colours. If you are nervous about introducing strong colours into your garden in a big way, painting small details, like Grace has done, can be very effective. Your eye will always be drawn to strong colours so it is a good way to draw your eye through the garden.

3. A SPACE WITHIN A SPACE

Grace has created a playful twigwam in her garden that acts as the main feature. What I love about this is that it is a space within the garden space, a small room within the garden. It is a great idea to create some sort of space within a space in your own garden. Grace’s twigwam is quite detailed, but even upgrading an existing shed into an outdoor room can have a strong effect.

As we live in Ireland, where we are not always blessed with sunny weather, it is a good idea to have a roof on the chosen area, so that it can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Incorporate some lighting too to make it suitable for night time use. Paint your shed in colours that will tie in with your interior colour palette. Get inspiration from the cuprinol website www.cuprinol.ie or from our Kingston Lafferty Design Pinterest boards at https://www.pinterest.com/kingstonlaf0316/