{"id":4281,"date":"2021-10-27T14:24:15","date_gmt":"2021-10-27T12:24:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardensillustrated.com\/?p=62134"},"modified":"2021-10-27T14:48:13","modified_gmt":"2021-10-27T12:48:13","slug":"coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/rss_feed\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast\/","title":{"rendered":"Coping with slopes: a terraced garden on the East Sussex coast"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Katie Beale\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 27 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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

Name<\/strong> Full Moon Barn. What<\/strong> Terraced hillside garden featuring raised beds.\u00a0Where<\/strong> East Sussex.\u00a0Size<\/strong> Approximately a\u00a0third of an acre within a one-and-a-half acre site. Soil<\/strong> A mixture of improved sand and clay.Climate<\/strong> Coastal and sunny, but windy, with salt-laden gales and sea mist.\u00a0Hardiness zone<\/strong> USDA 9.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The generous deck is sheltered from the prevailing winds and is a perfect place to sit and enjoy the views. Containers bring the garden up to the house and are replanted seasonally.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Full Moon Barn is set in a landscape\u00a0where the undulating High Weald larger meets the sea. Many would be tempted to do little more than sit back and admire the views, but for Tara Macdonald this was never an option. A knowledgeable plantswoman who trained at RHS Garden Wisley and subsequently spent ten happy years working at Great Dixter, she needed part of the garden to be a place where she could grow some of the plants she loves.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe setting feels quite Mediterranean, with magnificent, borrowed views of big, open spaces, \u201d says Tara. \u201cIn summer when the grasses yellow you could almost be in Greece. I decided, within the larger, more open, garden, to make an area quite enclosed by the planting \u2013 an oasis tucked away from all that nature and the seascapes.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Tara and her husband David bought the house there was no garden, just a field with a few stray trees and shrubs and a view-blocking bank of x Hesperotropsis leylandii\u00a0<\/em>(formerly x Cuprocypraris leylandii<\/em>) along the boundary. The couple decided that the leylandii had to go, and with views opened up and light flooding into the garden, they constructed a series of raised beds leading down the slope from the existing deck in front of the house. Conveniently, building work on the house and a redesign of the larger garden had resulted in large quantities of spare soil that could be used to fill the beds.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAs you garden a place you learn what will and won\u2019t grow,\u201d says Tara. \u201cI started off not knowing what would work \u2013 and coming from Great Dixter\u00a0I had a long list of plants I wanted to try. As a plant lover I wanted to pack in as much as possible, but I didn\u2019t want anything to dominate. It has been trial and error: things would blow over, get too big, or break in the wind; sometimes I would allow self- sowers to remain and then they would take over\u00a0and I\u2019d have to remove them all. Gradually, over the years, I have honed down my choices and come to understand the location.\u201d<\/p>\n

The planting has changed over time and Tara now invests in plants such as irises and grasses, achilleas and hardy geraniums \u2013 \u201cplants that do fine, withstand the conditions and settle in well\u201d. The one exception is a raised bed devoted to\u00a0a dazzling array of dahlias. \u201cThat\u2019s definitely inspired by Great Dixter,\u201d says Tara, \u201cbut in this location it only works because I grow them through netting\u00a0to give them essential support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\""The\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The raised beds become a tapestry of colour and texture in high summer. Interwoven plants include Nicotiana sylvestris, Erysimum \u2018Bowles\u2019s Mauve\u2019, feathery bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare \u2018Purpureum\u2019), the horned spurge Euphorbia ceratocarpa and Nepeta grandiflora \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

She loves the manageable size of her garden, and appreciates its sunny aspect, which means that plants do well provided they get enough water. \u201cBut I also love the changeability that comes with the coastal location,\u201d she says, \u201ceven though it can be very bleak in winter when the wind howls.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Tara now works as a freelance garden designer and plant consultant, but she has also been exploring other aspects of her creativity by recently completing a BA Designer Maker course, graduating with flying colours. Her degree project was a piece called Regeneration, which involved dyeing silks with dyes made from plants that reclaim damaged land, including ivy, brambles, nettles, birch, gorse and dandelions, and then using the fabric to make ethereal, silk flowers to represent healing and hope. She has become interested in growing dye plants such as woad, Anthemis tinctoria and marigolds, but says her garden is not a dyer\u2019s garden \u2013 although it may become one in the future.<\/p>\n

\""Raised\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Raised beds, overflowing with Tara\u2019s favourite plants, replaced a slippery slope leading down from the deck of Tara\u2019s south- facing house. The sweet peas were grown from Sarah Raven\u2019s Clouds of Scent collection.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

\u201cWorking at Great Dixter has really helped me understand gardening as a creative and playful process, from growing dahlias to taking my creativity in other directions. I always say you\u00a0can take the girl out of Great Dixter, but you can\u2019t take Great Dixter out of the girl.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\""Big\"<\/picture><\/div>
Big Pot of Salvia \u2018Amistad\u2019 and Lagurus ovatus \u2013 Bunny\u2019s Tail Grass on decking.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Dahlia\"<\/picture><\/div>
Dahlia \u2018Totally Tangerine\u2019<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Pots\"<\/picture><\/div>
Pots of Stipa tenuissima on the deck provide contrast with their more colourful companions<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Dahlias\"<\/picture><\/div>
Dahlias in vibrant colours range from deep crimson, through hot pinks to scarlets. They have their own bed for maximum impact and so that Tara can grow them through netting for support.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Calendula\"<\/picture><\/div>
Calendula officinalis \u2013 Marigolds self-sown in the pea shingle<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Cerinthe\"<\/picture><\/div>
Cerinthe major var. purpurescens<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
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t Lathyrus odoratus \u2018Blue Ripple\u2019; Sweet peas are a favourite and Tara grows them every year despite the challenging conditions<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Raised\"<\/picture><\/div>
Raised beds, overflowing with Tara\u2019s favourite plants, replaced a slippery slope leading down from the deck of Tara\u2019s south- facing house. The sweet peas were grown from Sarah Raven\u2019s Clouds of Scent collection.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""The\"<\/picture><\/div>
The raised beds become a tapestry of colour and texture in high summer. Interwoven plants include Nicotiana sylvestris, Erysimum \u2018Bowles\u2019s Mauve\u2019, feathery bronze fennel (Foeniculum vulgare \u2018Purpureum\u2019), the horned spurge Euphorbia ceratocarpa and Nepeta grandiflora \u2018Dawn to Dusk\u2019.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""Airy\"<\/picture><\/div>
Airy flowers on wiry stems thrive in Tara\u2019s coastal garden; the spherical, purple heads of Allium sphaerocephalon float above white-flowered Oenothera lindheimeri and clary sage accompanied by bronze fennel.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""The\"<\/picture><\/div>
The generous deck is sheltered from the prevailing winds and is a perfect place to sit and enjoy the views. Containers bring the garden up to the house and are replanted seasonally.<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>
\""The\"<\/picture><\/div>
The view down the terraced garden to the vegetable beds, chicken run and barbecue terrace. Richly hued flowers in the dahlia patch contrast with the acid-green of Euphorbia ceratocarpa in the foreground<\/span> <\/figcaption> <\/span>\n<\/div> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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By Katie Beale Published: Wednesday, 27 October 2021 at 12:00 am IN BRIEF Name Full Moon Barn. What Terraced hillside garden featuring raised beds.\u00a0Where East Sussex.\u00a0Size Approximately a\u00a0third of an acre within a one-and-a-half acre site. Soil A mixture of improved sand and clay.Climate Coastal and sunny, but windy, with salt-laden gales and sea mist.\u00a0Hardiness […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":4282,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"6"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast.jpg",2362,1575,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2021\/10\/coping-with-slopes-a-terraced-garden-on-the-east-sussex-coast-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Katie Beale Published: Wednesday, 27 October 2021 at 12:00 am IN BRIEF Name Full Moon Barn. What Terraced hillside garden featuring raised beds.\u00a0Where East Sussex.\u00a0Size Approximately a\u00a0third of an acre within a one-and-a-half acre site. Soil A mixture of improved sand and clay.Climate Coastal and sunny, but windy, with salt-laden gales and sea mist.\u00a0Hardiness…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/4281"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/gardensillustrated\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}