Читать книгу Plant Combinations for an Abundant Garden - A. & G. Bridgewater - Страница 23

A bare area around a front door creates the impression of neglect and blandness, but when a porch-like structure is added and covered in flowering or leafy climbers it brightens both the house and garden. Choose a porch that harmonizes with the house, whether formal or informal. Home-made or modified shop-bought porches are easily erected, but do need to be well secured to prevent wind dislodging them when covered with climbers.

Will a porch complement my house?

DESIGN, STYLE AND MATERIALS

The design of a porch must complement the house’s nature, and, while a clinically brick type may suit a modern house, a wooden one is better for older properties. Painting bricks white usually helps to impart an aged look. In narrow front gardens, a porch and fence can be treated as the same feature and constructed in similar materials.

ADDING THE FRILLS

After creating the structure of a porch, it will need to be dressed in plants to soften the hard edges and add color.

• Flowering climbers: choose types that harmonize with the style – those with dainty flowers for modern porches, Lonicera (Honeysuckle) for older properties.

• Leafy climbers: avoid creating a dark entrance

• packed with old, dusty climbers. For a summer-only display, plant the herbaceous Humulus lupulus ‘Aureus’ (Yellow-leaved Hop).

• Hanging baskets: if space allows, suspend a pair of baskets where they cannot be knocked.

• Tubs and pots: group a few to one side of an entrance, at a variety of different heights.

Open-fronted porches allow light to enter the house, while protecting from rain.

Pots packed with summer-flowering plants are ideal for decorating porches.

Enclosed porches become lobbies, where many indoor plants can be grown.

Porch with seats

HOW TO MAKE A RUSTIC PORCH

Some porches are easily made and fixed into position. Construct an informal porch from four chestnut rustic poles, each about 8 ft (2.4 m) long, and two poles (for the top), each 5 ft (1.5 m) long. Add strengthening cross-poles lower down and at the sides. Pieces of expanded trellis are needed for the sides and top. The supporting poles are concreted into the ground to a depth of 18 in (45 cm).