Here are some of my key tips for recreating Shirley’s garden at home
1. Colour Combinations
Shirley used a range of contrasting and complimentary colours in her garden to add excitement and fun to the space. Due to the space being small, she maintained a light, understated off white colour on the boundary walls. This is an effective way to maximise the feeling of space. Light colours make space seem bigger. Dark colours can make a space seem more enclosed. The light off white colour (Weathershield Gardenia) on the boundary walls also draws your eye to the plants in the garden and makes their beauty and colour stand out.
To add variety, Shirley painted the vertical pergola structures in a strong rich berry from the Garden Shades range. The strong colour draws your eye into this area. It works effectively in this particular garden. Rich colours work well on key items within the space. They stand out and create a feature. She combined the rich berry with glazed forest on the mid-level flower bed. Although very different colours, they still complement each other well and help to define the various areas.
2. Design is in the Detail
Shirley combined a lot of small elements within the overall garden. Each area was detailed in itself. It is important to pay attention to the detail in your own garden. Shirley’s vertical garden and bug hotel are both so detailed and really add originality to the garden.
They also work well with her concept of introducing biodiversity into the garden. Be creative with your own garden. Add something to enhance your garden and entice the wildlife in. Bird baths and bird feeders can be features in any garden regardless of size.
