An overgrown space has been lovingly restored to its former glory, transformed by Ria Hotchin into a tranquil FLORAL HAVEN
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BEFORE
The grass was knee high, the brambles unruly and the monstrous conifers too overpowering for this 10m x 36m plot in Maidstone, Kent. Yet among the overgrowth there were signs of a once much-loved garden.
On moving into the 1950s property in 2014, Ria discovered two greenhouses, a summerhouse, lots of beautiful terracotta pots and plant labels and notes suggesting the previous owners loved to grow flowers and vegetables. “The garden had been neglected and left for a while,” explains Ria.
“Neighbours told me the previous owners had loved and tended to the garden once upon a time and it had been very beautiful.”
Despite her lack of previous gardening experience, Ria vowed there and then to bring the garden back to its former glory. Today, having unlocked the secrets to successfully growing her own cut flowers, Ria has created a relaxed cottage gardeninspired space bursting with flowers and colour. “At first, I just wanted somewhere to sit in the sun, some space to have a few containers, and to grow salad leaves and tomatoes,” shares Ria. “But I totally caught the gardening bug!
“I knew I wanted to fill the space with flowers and grow a lot more of my own vegetables, salad and fruit. The garden became a place of solace, and with The Secret Garden being one of my favourite films as a child, my aim was to turn it into my own little floral hideaway.
“It helps that we’re surrounded by tall beech trees at the back so we aren’t overlooked. My father-in-law describes the garden in summer as like coming across a magical clearing in the forest!”
INSIDE STORY
Looking back to those early days, Ria recalls how the garden was a no-go-zone, so, along with husband Steve, she had no choice but to sort it out. Tree surgeons were called in to give everything a trim and to strim the grass so the couple could see exactly what they were dealing with. A few of the conifers were removed from the middle of the garden and an old shed was cleared and dismantled. “I didn’t really have a plan,” Ria admits. “But I knew that I could work with what was there. We used the bare bones of the space as it would have been too costly given the size of the garden to replace everything and start from scratch.”
When a beautiful lilac tree bloomed that first year after moving in, Ria was spurred on to realise the garden’s full potential. “I could see how gorgeous the garden could look,” she says. “Discovering that there was quite a lot of loveliness hidden in the undergrowth was really joyful and encouraging. In fact, when you move som
