From blank canvas to nature-friendly oasis – this multi-faceted garden is truly thriving

After making the move from a commuter town in Essex to a tiny village in Suffolk, Dorothy and James Clark set to work to transform their new ‘blank canvas’ garden into a haven for wildlife.

‘After retiring, we wanted to move to the countryside,’ says Dorothy. ‘Lots of properties around here have enormous gardens, but it was important to us to find somewhere manageable. This one wraps around the house without being too big.'

The garden ideas seemed endless. 'It already had a patio, a pergola walkway, a summerhouse and a lawn, but there weren’t any plants and it felt like a completely blank canvas.'

‘We started work in the garden straight away,’ says James, ‘and originally planned to remove the pergola because it seemed to detract from the view of the fields beyond.'

'We also wanted to hide the farm buildings at the back by creating a screen, adding plants around the periphery. By chance, we spoke to Susannah Sharman, a garden designer who works at the local nursery.'

'Her advice was completely the opposite: to make the foreground more interesting, and add climbing plants to the pergola rather than taking it away.'

'We were also given a planting plan that accommodated a few of the potted plants that we’d brought with us, including acers and a fig tree.’

As a nod to their location, the couple wanted the space to have a cottage garden feel, but with modern plants mixed in to add year-round interest. ‘There’s a really old wall, with roses planted along it, and we’ve contrasted this with grasses and evergreen shrubs.'

'We also wanted to attract plenty of pollinators near the veg patch, so we added lavender, buddleja, and sweet peas, which were grown from seed.’

This year’s crops have been varied, and include beetroot, carrots, salad leaves, tomatoes, strawberries, and raspberries. ‘We had so many courgettes and leeks this year, but the spring onions didn’t work so well,’ says James.

‘I try to rotate what we grow each year; it keeps the soil rich in nutrients.'

'We’ve just added a wildlife pond and garden, which will hopefully attract bugs, frogs, dragonflies and small mammals, as well as plenty of pretty wildflowers in spring.’

The main patio

The original wall, from when the plot was part of a farm, has been covered with climbing roses.

‘We added staggered beds all the way round the edge of the patio. Their curved shape softens the edges of the paving slabs’.

The couple's rattan furniture is hardwearing as well as suits the modern country vibe. A herb garden of rosemary, basil, thyme, and chives thrives in terracotta pots and alongside a sunny flowerbed.

The veg patch

‘When we moved in, there was a dog kennel and sand pit in the garden. We repurposed part of the kennel as a shed, and repurposed wooden sleepers to make raised vegetable beds.’

Grown from seed, the large pot filled with sweet peas not only provides beautiful cut blooms, but the flowers are also good companion planting for vegetables.

The mini greenhouse

The mini greenhouse is the perfect place for cuttings, germinating seeds and overwintering small plants, while colourful annuals update a long stretch of fence panels.

The summerhouse

Dorothy painted the summerhouse and updated it with handmade bunting and cushions.

‘It’s so nice sitting in there on a day when it’s not warm enough to be outside. And you get to see the garden from a different angle.’

The repurposed vertical planting

James repurposed wooden pallets and crates, left over from a delivery, into a shelving display. It provides interest when looking out of the kitchen window, rather than a plain fence.

This article first appeared in the June 2025 issue of Ideal Home. Subscribe and save here.