Advice - Landscaping Around The Outside Of Your Conservatory

If you have recently added a new conservatory or you are considering doing so this year, then you may be looking for ideas regarding how to landscape around your new garden room. A new conservatory brings many benefits from additional living space, increased house value and great views of your garden.

Here are some things to consider when choosing new plants to go near your conservatory;

Size: It is important to know the full growing height and spread of the plants you intend to use near your conservatory, so in time these plants do not cause problems or potential damage to the extension.

Roots: For obvious reasons don’t plant trees near the conservatory as the roots can cause damage to the foundations in years to come. Another issue with trees is the amount of shade they will provide which will block out the sun light.

Climbers: It’s not advisable to plant climbers like clematis, honey suckle, roses etc. over your conservatory as they will block out the light, make cleaning the windows difficult and potentially damage the frames over time.

Existing plants: You will also need to look at the existing plants, trees and shrubs in your garden which may interfere with the build of your new conservatory, and will need to be either removed or cut back to make way for the new build.

Planting Ideas.

You can use top soil right up to the new conservatories foundations, but the top soil shouldn’t be above the damp course, so basically it should be 150 mm below the damp proof bricks. If your conservatory has a small dwarf wall you may want to plant around this wall to soften the brick work and add some greenery. This can be achieved by adding some box hedging, this works well as it frames the room without distracting or obstruct the windows.

Taller delicate stemmed plants that could be planted outside the conservatory and won’t block out the light or cause problems and that add interest, colour and movement include: Alliums, Korean Angelica, Verbena and Dierama Pendulum

Scented plants are always a winner near the entrance or opened windows of a conservatory. Larger scented plants shouldn’t be planted in the ground by the conservatory but in containers, tubs or in nearby borders, so not to cause issues. Consider the following plants to add perfume: Lavender, Abelia Grandiflora, Lily of the Valley and Arabis Snowcap.

If your conservatory has full pane glazing then it advisable not to plant right up to the glass panes, as this will reduce the risk of damaging the windows when tending your plants in the future. Instead lay decking or slabs outside and add plants through the use of containers. Containers of the same material in a variety of sizes look great scattered around the outside of the conservatory.

To enjoy your conservatory fully don’t obscure the views so you can enjoy the new room from the inside and the outside all year round.