Say goodbye to wasted space! The narrow gap between houses was transformed into something special by a garden designer
Garden designer Sari Lampinen turned a worn-out and ‘bleak’ lawn into a lush, engaging pathway to the backyard. See the plan and the plants chosen by this expert!
Starting point: A very narrow, shaded area along the side of a modern, white-plastered, two-story house, next to the neighboring building. This sheltered, level area is 4 meters wide and leads to the backyard, with a worn-out lawn. It is located in zone I.
The clients’ wish: Clients wanted to replace what they called the bleak corridor between the two houses with greenery and softness. They also hoped to use as many natural materials as possible.
Implementation: The idea was to reclaim the yard’s wasted space and give the residents a charming, immersive route to the backyard living area. A nine-square-meter (50 cm tall) planting bed for shrubs and perennials was built next to the neighbor’s windowless wall, adding softness and layers to the shaded spot. A variety of shapes and shades of green were chosen, including Siebold's magnolia, ostrich fern, and Geranium × cantabrigiense. At the back, northern white-cedar ‘Smaragd’, germander meadowsweet, and smooth shadbush provide privacy. Thanks to the layered greenery, the atmosphere feels forest-like, even though there are no trees.
A warm-toned red granite cobblestone path follows the plants. It was placed at the edge to leave as much continuous space for planting as possible. The gentle curves add softness and help eliminate the corridor-like feel.
Plant list
1. Smooth shadbush
2. Around the bench: northern white-cedar, dark purple bugle, Betonica macrantha, crocus ‘Jean d’Arc’ and Dutch garlic 'Purple Sensation'
3. Germander meadowsweet and, in front of it, common Juniper
4. Northern white-cedar ‘Smaragd’
5. Japanese spiraea ‘Darts Red’
6. Siebold’s magnolia
7. Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’ and muscari, with lesser periwinkle along the front edge
8. Ostrich fern
9. Stephandra incisa 'Crispa'
10. Hydrangea anomala petiolaris, with Japanese pachysandra underneath
