Glorious Gravel Gardens

Well I never thought I would get quite this excited about gravel but actually it really does inspire me.  Gravel is one of the most underused material in the Tuscan garden especially by overseas home owners.  Strangely no matter how much property owners from the UK, USA, Germany and France love classic Tuscan gardens they still want Lawns!  This is often a topic that causes some difficult discussions and heated conversations with our clients.  Lawns are expensive and need a huge amount of yes you guessed it Water.  So at the risk of getting hot under my collar about lawns in Tuscany I'll stick to my original topic 'glorious gravel'.

Gravel can be practical and hard wearing, it can be cost effective and a quick solution for some areas but most of all gravel is an attractive solution. Gravel paths can weave through gardens from space to space, gravelled driveways give a sense of grandeur to a property, gravelled beds keep the soil cool and hydrated whilst also acting as a protective mulch.

Now there are many types of gravel, I favour river bed gravel for ornamental or formal spaces, whereas more angular rough gravels are better suited to sloped driveways where water flow would cause round or bevelled gravel to roll away.  Essentially, if you do the groundwork well a gravel garden will give a relatively low maintenance result.  You will need to excavate, base line with a permeable membrane and then lay a specialist honeycombed product which will hold your gravel in place.

On an aesthetic note, gravel gardens are classic elements of formal Tuscan Gardens and can transform an otherwise unattractive area.  For centuries gravel paths have been used to divide formal beds and borders and they often protect plants from invasion from rampant weeds.  The moisture retained within the gravel allow plants to enjoy a little moisture when the Tuscan Sun is at its most forceful.  So if you have a large but tired expanse of expensive lawn why not consider breaking it up with a few graveled areas.

Please do call me to discuss your ideas on 3345995702

Influences

This year we have been really focusing on learning from others, absorbing colour, pattern, texture, shape and form.  Drawing inspiration from gardens and garden designers, architects and artists gives us fresh ideas and helps us to form our own visions for garden design and keeps the creative juices flowing.

Last month I visited Alnwick Gardens in Northumbria, UK and was overwhelmed by the glorious rose garden, still bursting with colour even in the autumn.  The contemporary metal water features were seriously impressive and would I feel work well on a smaller scale, children were enthralled by how the water kept flowing and the Vortex was a favourite for me.  The formal rose garden was just wonderful and I was able to select a few different species that would work in our Tuscan Garden Designs.

The willow maze made an impact and I would love to grow living willow sculptures or dens for kids but just need to create a damp garden for the plants to thrive in - not so easy here in the countryside near Siena.  I was also reminded of the wonderful quote engraved on a standing stone within the garden 'only dead fish swim with the stream' so true and should be interpreted into all that we do.

I brought back a whole heap of notes, photos, sketches and ideas combining traditional and contemporary ideas for modern gardens here in Italy.  Can't wait to start working on a few projects, but first I need to finish off the hardwood cuttings ready for the spring and pot up plants for gardens in Pescia, Monte Amiata, Siena and Montespertoli, phew!