Seaside Neighbourhood Revitalisation Garden – Cliftonville

This garden project began in 2018 when the owners of a large double-fronted gothic property on Arthur Road contracted us to make a garden which played with elements of its past glory as a seaside citadel in the Victorian era. In excavating layers of paving, rubble and degraded soil we discovered the foundations of the ballroom, the outhouse and tumbledown outbuildings, in which the family used to sleep when renting the house to summer holiday makers back in the day.

We discovered a layout for the garden based upon the old foundations and natural desire lines. Creating a blocky arrangement around the walls of the house. Many existing trees were preserved. Including pear, apple and several large palms. We have built up the planting palette over the years and now the space is a secluded little garden with sitting areas nestled in discreet nooks and beneath the trees. We have built two decking areas and used a slate outline to delineate the pathways. We restored the outbuildings and added gravel paths.

It is always a pleasure to spend time in this secluded space whilst pruning and tending to plants. One of the challenges is to work with plants which require minimal maintenance, since the owners are often out of town. We have experimented over the years to see which survive and which thrive and have let the garden establish itself in its own ramshackle way, which is an homage to the town of Margate.