Garden Design in Guernsey
Designers on mainland Britain have a wide range of conditions to deal with when
designing a garden, but living on an island can add a whole new list of both problems
and exciting possibilities. Helen Litchfield describes life as a designer on the
Channel Island of Guernsey.
Fresh from college I arrived on the island more years ago than I care to recall.
I underwent a steep learning curve! Although I was armed with a broad knowledge
of trees and shrubs I wasn’t prepared for the wealth of plants - considered too
tender to be grown in the UK – that flourished here. For example, I was used to
seeing bay trees growing as struggling pom-poms; I had to look twice to identify
soaring 10 metre high plants as such.
Some plants were completely new to me. Chilean Myrtle, Lima apiculata,
thrives in our mild climate, making a beautiful evergreen specimen tree with its
lovely peeling bark. It seeds itself freely, popping up in every nook and cranny.
The St Peter Port Daisy, Erigeron karvinskianus, sprinkles itself over
walls and paving, decorating both town and country with its profusion of long-lasting
flowers. Best beloved is Echium pininana, or 'Guernsey Rockets' as they
are affectionately known, shooting great spires of blue flowers skywards each summer.
Not so loved is intruder Carpobrotum edulis, the Ice Plant whose long,
succulent tendrils spread out over the headlands and choke our less robust native
plants. Speaking of which, the fiercely protected orchid fields that hide just inland
along our west coast are a sight worth seeing every spring, as loose-flowered Southern
and Marsh Orchids raise their heads above the grass and turn the green sward into
a purple mist.
Designing in Guernsey presents some new challenges. Home owners along the low-lying
west coast bemoan the fact that nothing will grow. On the south coast, cliffs and
valleys provide ideal conditions for a wealth of tender plants to flourish. Our
neutral to slightly acid soil provides perfect conditions for a huge range of plants.
There are many beautiful gardens tucked away down the winding lanes of the higher
parishes.
We are fortunate too, in being a wealthy island. The finance industry thrives here
with our low tax regimes. The projects I am involved in vary hugely, from modest
gardens for local people to large schemes for ‘open market’ clients. As with the
UK, the perception of the value of a well designed garden has changed dramatically.
People in every sphere of life recognise that in creating a beautiful and functional
outside space, it is worth paying for expertise.
© Helen Litchfield 13th July 2008