RESILIENT GARDENS

After the region’s hottest, driest summer in memory, our garden design studio here in Bath is always keen to ensure we build resilient gardens that will stand the test of time. To that end, we have identified a number of noticeable garden design trends across the region over the year – from the coastal gardens of north Somerset, to the city gardens of Bath and Bristol, to the cottage gardens of the Cotswolds.

The common thread is resilience. Shelter belts against salt wind, water butts filled through the wet winter, and borders planted to look good in a parched August are now design priorities, not afterthoughts. The result is gardens that are built to mature alongside the landscape rather than compete with it.

Our top five garden design trends for the region are:

Planting that copes without a hose. Gravel gardens and Mediterranean staples such as lavender, rosemary, sedums and ornamental grasses are moving from niche to normal. Once established they need little watering, and they love the free-draining soils of the coast.

Wilder, landscape-led design. Formal lawns and clipped hedges are giving way to gardens that merge with the countryside beyond.

Native first. Chelsea 2026 was the first show where native planting took centre stage- think hedgerow shrubs, meadow grasses and even plants long dismissed as weeds, such as cow parsley and buttercups.

Local, reclaimed materials. Reused stone, brick, timber and gravel rare replacing brand new paving, and permeable surfaces letting rain soak in rather than run off.

The coast as a palette. Cornwall’s Eden Project took its “Bring Me Sunshine” garden, by Harry Holding and Alex Michaelis, to RHS Chelsea in May. It was built around salt-tolerant coastal meadow planting, including sea buckthorn and saltbush. Holding also champions sea kale, samphire and artichokes: plants that are sculptural and edible at once.

For help on building your very own resilient garden with our studio, please do get in touch.