Adding height to a garden

[Chalatte]

Planning ahead for my garden and it's all just shrubs and trees on the edges and then flat veg beds on the ground. I have a few pots and wooden planters and a few pots on the fence but my garden feels and looks very flat!

I had a beautiful garden arch with clematis but it didn't weather the storms we've had last year sadly, and I lost all my clematis growth to it 😭

Any ideas to add a bit more interest at eye level? I'd also love any advice or suggestions from people with garden arches that withstood the storms!

It’s important to identify how much sun the area gets as this will determine what will do well in the area. How tall/ wide do you want the plants to be? Do you know what soil type you have? If you lost your arch to weather, which direction does the area face as some plants do better than others in exposed areas. If you are near the coast that may also determine what will grow well. If your clematis is still alive you may be able to rejuvenate it as some are really tough!

I have very good quality soil. I know several inches down it's rocky but I have earthworms and it gets full of worm castings through the winter so I would think it's loamy

I'm not near the coast. The garden is in the south west, lined with trees on either side but the area where the arch was is slightly more exposed.. I could let it trail along the fence instead? What else could I do for height?

I have left the clematis in the ground and I'm praying for it!

A 5G mast?

Many arches that you buy in a garden shop are pretty flimsy. Pay someone to build a pergola out of proper wood and it will stay up.

and there is a 90% chance the clematis will recover when it gets warmer

Do you know which type of clematis it was? When did it flower/what colour? Some types are extremely resistant and almost enjoy brutal treatment, we had one growing over the oil tank which completely covered the huge tank. I cut it back to knee height and by the end of spring it was back to the top of the tank again. So don’t give up hope.

you can buy (expensively) some bigger specimens of shrubs or trees - we did that for some instant growth and privacy when we bought more garden and it looked very “new build” with just a lawn and fence.

A pp’s suggestion of a properly solidly built pergola is also worth investing in, will last many years

I've got 4 of these in different parts of the garden on fences and walls - they are evergreen, scent is lovely and you can get them with variegated leaves. One turns red in winter. I think you could train them on an arch or pergola.

www.rhs.org.uk/plants/18287/trachelospermum-jasminoides/details

I second the idea of a sturdy pergola.

My OH built a beautiful one in our previous house, really added structure and was perfect for climbing plants.

If you can afford to pay a bit more, go for oak as it will last indefinitely whereas a (treated) softwood one will rot in time (been there).

Watch Garden Rescue on BBC.
A bit rough & ready at times but they do have some good ideas and LOVE a pergola!

Absolutely this. We had some fencing done and they built us a very sturdy pergola, properly cemented into the ground, which has weathered many storms.

What shape is the garden? You could maybe redesign it with curved beds, and then you'd have more structure that way; or you could divide it into 'rooms' with hedging or a rustic fence.

Alternatively, introduce a focal point such as a specimen tree or shrub, a statue, or something like a bench or sundial in the middle.

I've used grasses, like STipa Golden Oats, to add height and waftiness. It also glows a brilliant colour when the light shines through it and holds the old seedheads well through the winter. I dug out a bit of lawn and planted it so it chatches the light of the setting sun. I curved the lawn a bit to make the bed and also addes some vebena bonanseires (?sp) which are nice and wafty and tall too....

We are high up, in an area that gets a fair bit of wind.
DH built me a sturdy pergola and it’s on its 4th year with no issue.
I have a chocolate vine and and iceberg rose growing up it. They can look a bit scruffy when it’s been horrendous weather for an extended period, but were tiny when put in and now reach the top.
We have clematis jingle bells on another structure he built, that sometimes looks half dead after storms, but currently in full flower with the structure well covered in the evergreen foliage.

I accidentally overpruned a deciduous clematis (by over vigorous weeding- literally ripped it out of the ground) and it came back from it, not so much the first year but much stronger after that. The clematis will be fine - just needs a new support

We have a wooden arch type thing that has held firm despite us being on a fairly exposed hilltop. When we replaced the old rotting one with a new one we discovered that it was basically cemented intk the ground - so it may be the fitting that needs to be more robust rather than the arch itself?

It's just a long rectangle.it's not very wide I think but good size for a London garden if that makes sense

I will have to go on Pinterest for some inspo or ask ai about these things

I love the idea of a pergola too but quite unsure where it will go

As one other poster said they're right about needing to cement the base down to keep a structure standing through stormy weather..

What about a cherry tree? We planted one at the bottom of our garden and it has beautiful blossom and loads of lovely cherries. Ours was called “Sweetheart” and we were told it would grow to 10 feet but it did keep growing. We just pruned it back every year so it didn’t get out of hand and we could still reach the cherries.

If you are happy putting up a photo of your garden, we might be able to offer better suggestions?

Some smaller upright trees might be suitable. Someone mentioned a cherry, you can get a columnar cherry. Also things like silver birch or rowan.

"It's just a long rectangle"

Ah. @Chalatte perhaps you need to do something about changing that rectangle, and put some curves or diagonal movement in. Otherwise your eye is drawn straight down the garden to the bottom.

I second silver birch. Very fine branches with small leaves so they don't block the sunlight, the wind sounds lovely coming through them and the bark is beautiful.