The Outdoor Room
For a vast number of people, the planning and organisation of the outdoor space becomes the last consideration in the completion of their new home. Often, this is because it has been overlooked in the rush to complete the building process or, it just has not been adequately budgeted for. The space around the property can be thought of as the Room Outside and, in terms of planning, phasing and budgeting, should be treated in the same way as any other room in the house. Although it is frequently the most under-used room, the Room Outside can arguably be considered as one of the most important. It is often the first room that any visitor to the house sees, and no matter what the size; with appropriate and attractive design and detailing, can provide a usable and enjoyable space to work, rest and play, which will add substantial value to the property. Within the Room Outside, the hard landscaping elements give a strong sense of design, providing the skeleton or framework for spaces and can thus be considered as the ‘Wallpaper & Flooring’. Equally important in providing the flesh, texture and creating variety and interest, are the ‘Furniture & Fittings’; in the form of soft landscaping elements including trees, shrubs and plants and structures such as pergolas, water features, sculptures, seating, lighting etc.
Acheson & Glover can provide a vast array of ‘Wallpaper & Flooring’ for the Room Outside; through their extensive Brick & Paving ranges. These offer a wide variety of sizes, colours and textures, for use in creating contemporary and or traditional design solutions. When it comes to choosing ‘Furniture & Fittings’, the same basic design can be changed radically when different planting themes are employed; for example through the use of formal or informal planting. In addition, when choosing plants, there is a wide range of factors to be considered for successful establishment; including site aspect (north / south), exposure (windy or sheltered), soil (nature & type), plant growth (speed, spread & height) etc.
It may help to engage the services of an established nursery / garden centre or landscape / garden designer to advise on this aspect of design. As a very rough guide the following is a short list of versatile ‘no fuss’, low maintenance’ shrub species, which can be employed in a wide range of situations by the novice gardener.
Hedging Species
Crataegus monogyna (Hawthorn)
Escallonia ‘Apple Blossom’
Fagus sylvatica (Beech)
Ligustrum ovalifolium (P\rivet)
Lonicera nitida
Structure Plants – High / Medium
Aucuba japonica (Spotted Laurel)
Berberis darwinii (Darwin’s Barberry)
Eleagnus X ebengii
Ilex ‘Silver Queen’ (Variegated Holly)
Mahonia X ‘Charity’ (Oregon Grape)
Prunus lusitanica (Portuguese Laurel)
Pyracantha ‘Orange Glow’ (Firethorn)
Viburnum tinus
Ground Cover Plants
Cotoneaster ‘Skogholm’
Cotoneaster microphyllus
Euonymus ‘Emrald & Gold’
Genista lydia (Broom)
Hebe ‘Red Edge’ (Veronica)
Hedera helix ‘Goldheart’ (Ivy)
Pieris japonica ‘Variegata’ (Forest Flame)
Potentilla ‘Abbotswood’
Skimmia japonica reevesiana
Viburnum davidii
Wall / Climbing Plants
Clematis ‘The President’
Cotoneaster horizontalis
Hydrangea petiolaris
Jasminium nudiflorium (Winter Jasmine)
Lonicera periclymenum (Honeysuckle)
Parthenocissus sp. (Virginia Creeper)
