Faced with a steeply sloping garden, Helen Thomas has come up with a design that enhances its contours \u2013 and looks beautiful in winter. Words by Humaira Ikram, photographs by Eva Nemeth. <\/p>

IN BRIEF<\/strong><\/p>\n

Name<\/strong> Hill Farm.Where<\/strong> Surrey.Size<\/strong> One and three quarter acres.Soil<\/strong> Free-draining, slightly acid loam.Climate<\/strong> Temperate and north facing.Hardiness zone<\/strong> USDA 8.<\/p>\n

<\/p><\/div> <\/section>

As the soil is acid loam, many neighbouring gardens are full of rhododendrons and camellias, but Helen didn\u2019t want to follow the same pattern. \u201cI wanted to show that you could plant in a different, lighter and more modern way, using grasses as well as the more traditional heathers,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Read our advice on growing winter-flowering heathers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Initially, Helen\u2019s choice of traditional heathers was practical as much as aesthetic. \u201cI had a young family and heathers were dog- and child-proof.\u201d She started with a mix of the magnificent mauve Erica<\/i> x darleyensis<\/i> \u2018J.W. Porter\u2019, and the white Erica carnea<\/i> f. alba<\/i> \u2018Springwood White\u2019, planted as a matrix with the Irish heath, Daboecia cantabrica<\/i>. Although unable to compete with the ericas, this Irish heath still stubbornly pops up every so often throughout the border, providing sustenance for pollinators in summer.<\/span><\/p>\n

$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Evan Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div><\/span><\/p>\n
In winter, the ericas, including Erica carnea<\/em> f. alba<\/em> \u2018Springwood White\u2019 and Erica<\/em> x darleyensis<\/em> \u2018J. W Porter\u2019 create seamless rivers of colour. \u201cI had to do some weeding until it all knitted together but since then it has really looked after itself.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nThe main terrace has been cut out of the slope, with walls constructed of local flint and softened by the carpet of heathers. Ornamental grasses<\/a> used in the garden include Calamagrostis brachytricha<\/i>, along with the upright Miscanthus sinensis<\/i> \u2018Malepartus\u2019, and the shorter and more lax Miscanthus sinensis<\/i> \u2018Abundance\u2019, which arches over the edges of the paths. Helen has dotted the lighter Molinia caerulea<\/i> \u2018Poul Petersen\u2019 around to create a shimmer effect.<\/span><\/p>\n
$\"""\"$ <\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div> \u00a9 Eva Nemeth<\/i> <\/span>\n<\/div>\nBeneath a mature pine, the zingy green hellebore<\/a>, Helleborus argutifolius,<\/em> has spread and interspersed with ferns<\/a> and snowdrops<\/a>, Galanthus nivalis<\/em>. These are repeated on the other side of the lawn, beneath the structural and striking winter skeletons of Acer griseum<\/em> and Betula utilis<\/em> subsp. jaquemontii<\/em>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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