Creating a secret garden

The assets of a secret garden

It is often said in terms of landscaping that it is better not to see a garden in its entirety, but rather to reveal it through successive spaces: this increases its visual area. The secret garden thus constitutes one of the subspaces of the garden when it is large, and this secluded garden is a new place to discover!

Even if there is a resting corner close to the house, for example, installing a second one further away from prying eyes as a secret garden is a good option in a large garden where one enjoys creating different scenes for different needs.

It can also refer to a garden in itself if the space remains smaller and one wishes to create an atmosphere imbued with mystery, and above all, sheltered from view. This is especially true when it comes to an urban garden or when living in a densely populated area, where the proximity of buildings puts privacy to the test.

Finally, the secret garden cultivates a sense of escape: one feels elsewhere, far from the world, as if disconnected by the lush and calming atmosphere it provides.

A small city garden that is both secret and restful…

What type of space to create?

The secret garden transports us to an intimate, calm area where one enjoys retreating from the hustle and bustle of the city or the activity of the home.

This cocoon is often a reading or resting nook in a large garden set in a peaceful spot, and in the case of an urban garden, it involves creating a space where relaxation and dining areas are preserved, often the only two possible, wisely separated by screens or plants.

In both cases, whether a niche in a large garden or a city garden, chairs or benches will be installed to bring an atmosphere of well-being and contemplation. When fortunate enough to have enclosed walls, the secret garden becomes a charming option, as it will benefit from a space already sheltered from prying eyes! Those with a sloping garden will find a wonderful opportunity to create a terraced garden hidden behind a low hedge.

You can enhance the alcove feel by defining the space with a wooden platform or a mini-terrace in city gardens. Also, take advantage of the presence of stairs in the countryside to place this secret garden at the end of a pathway, away from view.

Here, the rather open space is kept secret by the intimate access of the stairs

The furniture of the secret garden

The secret garden features furniture that can properly and harmoniously define this little nook: light structures that allow light to pass through, such as pergolas, trellises, and a fence that is high enough and open (like a lattice, a wattle fence, or a slatted barrier). Antique shops specialising in ironwork offer beautiful gates or old patinated doors that can also serve as supports for plants. In a large garden, an old gazebo can alone dress the space.

To enhance the intimate atmosphere, the layers are essential. They add to the charm of the place: low stone benches, wooden or metal benches, deck chairs, or comfortable chairs, along with a wrought iron table, will be companions for Zen moments.

Finally, the pots and containers, in the case of an urban garden or patio, are arranged to surround the reading nook. In small secret gardens, they even help create a separation, and when placed in numbers, they provide a snug feel. They should be chosen to be large enough or contain medium-stratum plants.

Gazebo, light grille and climbing plants, chairs and pots, barrier in its original state: some of the many elements of the secret garden (photos ©Vernea Fotografiert and Gwenaëlle David)

Keep the mystery

Whether you are designing a small or large garden, the aim is to maintain the mystery of the space, blurring its edges and entrance.

Pushing open a door, accessing via a small staircase, subtly marking a path in the lawn to suggest the imminent approach of another world, entering the secret lair through a lush trellis or a tangle of plants… There are many tricks to ensure this garden remains tucked away. The door is the romantic and rustic accessory, suitable for large gardens, where it may be made of wood or resemble a trellis, but it can also be designed for a more modest garden. In this case, it is often chosen to be more ornate to allow more light to pass through, such as with a mashrabiya, for example. Even more discreet, the plant door is created by a gap in a dense hedge.

The door, whether plant-based or solid, is the key element for entering this second universe

The vision of the secret garden is also magical when viewed through an oculus (a plant opening), a tunnel, or a living wall. It is the “living” screen that we love, allowing a glimpse of another atmosphere beyond the verdant screen.

Door, walkway, plant opening materialised by wrought ironwork, plant arch… so many ways to hint at the secret garden

A small hedge, trimmed or not, also serves to delineate and obscure this garden from prying eyes in larger gardens. In urban settings, due to space constraints, it is often replaced by a vegetated screen, or when one can find it, a pretty barrier left slightly ajar.

Here, a green-painted screen isolates the secret nook from the rest of the garden …

When the outdoor space is already on two levels, the secret garden can easily be designed in the background, revealed at the end of a few steps, in a final extension: this is the drawer garden that creates surprise!

The secret garden is well hidden in this garden, the ultimate step after a flight of mossy steps

What plants for a secret garden?

We like to use covering plants around the garden, which will define it and simultaneously create the desired cocoon. We therefore rely on evergreen plants for minimal structure and climbing plants, such as lianas, or those with a particularly trailing habit.

The secret garden is also built around plants that are primarily ornamental for their foliage rather than their flowering, to maintain an almost jungle-like or wild spirit. The idea is to create a total immersion in the heart of the vegetation to escape the noise or agitation. A few flowers are also integrated, particularly through climbing plants.

In the city, this secret garden has a unique charm thanks to the lush vegetation and the accumulation of containers. The neighbouring buildings almost disappear.

Inside this green haven, depending on its size, one can integrate two or three shrubs: for example, a fastigiate conifer that takes up little space to bring verticality and a colourful bush, either through its foliage or flowering, to add colour, such as a elder, a physocarpus, or a Japanese maple.

In an urban garden or patio, this garden becomes a true secret paradise when a variety of pots or compact, yet enveloping plants are introduced: create a maze of pots by playing with ferns, bamboos, and dwarf bananas that thrive in an exotic atmosphere.

Here are some essential plants for the secret garden:

• Climbing plants: taking up little ground space, they have the advantage of being very covering, lush while allowing light to filter through: clematis in sun or partial shade, climbing hydrangeas for shade, ivy, climbing roses in sun or partial shade, Holboelia and Akebia in partial shade, hops, Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) in large gardens, jasmine, and honeysuckle for fragrance, etc. Always install a mix of deciduous and evergreen plants.

• Bamboos: unbeatable in terms of vegetal partitioning and privacy screening, bamboos are one of the best screens, especially in urban areas. They indeed have a rapid growth rate. However, always choose non-running bamboos to avoid uncontrollable spreading in the garden.
• Perennial plants and grasses: they contribute, when lush, to increase the isolation of the garden. A dense planting is imperative. For example: Aruncus dioicus in cool soil, Miscanthus sinensis for pots or open ground, giant arum…
• Shrubs chosen for their spread or lightness: Fuchsia magellanica, Hebe, Choisya ternata, elderberries, and Philadelphus…
• The evergreen or semi-evergreen hedge: hornbeam, spindle, privet…

→ For an urban garden: often subjected to dense shade, we will favour ferns (Dryopteris), sacred bamboos (Nandina domestica), Mahonias, Camellias, Japanese maples, Choisya ternata (Mexican orange), …

Fargesia rufa, Sambucus nigra, honeysuckle, wisteria, beard, hornbeam, and Miscanthus sinensis