The Youth of Old Age garden

By garden designer Mark Draper. This is a no-nonsense, practical garden, where the visually strong elements of soft lines and planting were key requirements.

It has been designed for a mature couple who enjoy outdoor life. They prefer traditional materials, but want a design that uses them in an imaginative way.

They want their garden to blend with their stone cottage, connecting the indoor living space to the outdoor area.

The couple enjoy gardening and entertaining, but also want a space that is calm and quiet where they can relax and plan for the future.

They are keen to add detail to the design, while at the same time keeping the basic elements of privacy, a seating area, lawn and a water feature.

Plants list

Click any of the names below to read more and to add to your own plants list.

Herbaceous Plants
Aquilegia 'Clemintine Red'
Aquilegia 'Milk & Honey'
Arisarum proboscideum
Asplenium scolopendrium
Brunera 'Jack Frost'
Camassia cusickii
Camassia leichtlinii Alba
Dicentra spectablis alba
Dryopteris felix mas
Epimedium x rubrum
Euphorbia 'Purpurea'
Euphorbia x robbiae
Geranium clarkei 'Kashmir White'
Geranium macrorrhizum
Geranium phaeum album
Heuchera 'Greenfinch'
Heuchera 'Obsidian'
Hosta 'Devon Green'
Hosta 'Paxtons Original'
Hosta undulata 'Albomarginata'
Iris sibirica
Pachysandra terminalis
Polygonatum x hybridum
Pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White'
Rodgersia podophylla
Salvia officinalis
Tellima grandiflora
Thalictrum aquilegifolium
Tiarella 'Tiger Stripe'
Tiarella cordifolia

Bulbs
Allium 'Purple Sensation'
Allium nigrum

Shrubs
Buxus sempervirens
Cercis Forest Pansy
Choisya 'Aztec Pearl'
Cornus controversa
Cotinus Grace
Euonymus alatus
Exochorda 'The Bride'
Hebe 'Mrs Winder'
Myrtus communis
Osmanthus delavayi
Osmanthus x burkwoodii
Philadelphus coronarius
Pittosporum tenuifolium
Rosmarinus officinalis
Sarcococca confusa
Viburnum xanthocarpum
Viburnum opulus
Viburnum plicatum 'Mariesii'
Viburnum x carlcephalum

Grasses
Luzula nivea
Miscanthus sinenesis
Stipa tenuissima