The Beauty of Basement Gardens
Basement outside spaces are often thought of as dingy and dark, but there’s a lot you can do to transform them into stunning living environments
A basement flat garden may not be big and may not get a lot of sunlight, but with a little effort you can create a mini oasis where you can sit and chill out surrounded by foliage and flowers.
Start with the floor surface. A lot of basements spaces have concrete floors which are not ideal for creating relaxing and beautiful environments.
Gravel is an easy and simple covering that works well over concrete – just remember to keep drain covers clear. Decking is another alternative and the perfect material for a family space or for entertaining. You could lay some bricks, tiles or slabs, but make sure you position them below the airbricks of the house and any damp-proof course.
You need to get creative when it comes to garden furniture and pots. Think small for furniture and big for pots. In a small space, there is a tendency to use small pots, but in general, the smaller the space, the bigger the plants, the bigger the pots.
Brighten up the walls.The gloomier the basement, the more light you will want to introduce so think about painting the walls and possibly installing a mirror on one of them, that you can plant around to soften the edges. That will reflect and make the most of any light there is.
Utilise your wall space. Attaching trellis for climbing plants or wall baskets provides your plants with space to grow upwards, and the addition of a wall fountain can make everything even more idyllic with the soothing sound of flowing water. A living green wall of shade-loving plants will fill the space with colour and seasonal fragrance and, with careful selection of plants, a green wall is something that will look good throughout the year.
Right plant, right place. Fatsias, choisyas, aucubas, skimmias, viburnum tinus and fuchsias all grow well in shade or dappled shade, and acers and azaleas are at their happiest in light shade. Climbers such as the climbing hydrangea, winter jasmine and all sorts of ivy, along with many clematis, thrive in the shade as well. There are even several climbing roses that blossom in low light such as the scented, double scarlet-flowered Danse du Feu and Madame Alfred Carrière with creamy white fragrant flowers.
For those with outside spaces that are slightly bigger than a basement, roses are on the list of gardening jobs for September from the Royal Horticultural Society:
• Continue to deadhead roses, dahlias and delphiniums to prolong flowering
• Collect and sow seeds from perennials and hardy annuals
• Net ponds before leaf fall starts
• Dig up remaining potatoes before slug damages spoils them
• Start to reduce houseplant watering
• Plant spring flowering bulbs
• Clean out cold frames and greenhouses ready for autumn use
• Prune bush and climbing roses
