How to transform your terrace into a calming garden sanctuary in five easy steps - Step 3 - Select the right plants
In the last two posts, we explored how to lay the foundations for transforming your terrace into a calming garden sanctuary. In Step 1, we focused on how to create a garden design that works seamlessly with the architecture of your home, creating a space that feels like a natural extension of your living area. In Step 2, we discussed how to tailor the terrace design to your exact needs – whether you’re after a sun-drenched retreat, a family-friendly outdoor room, or a more intimate, tranquil space for unwinding.
Now, in Step 3, we move onto one of the most enjoyable and creative parts of the process: selecting the right plants to bring your terrace to life.
🌳 STEP 1 Create a garden design that works with the architecture of your home
🌳 STEP 2 Creating a terrace tailored to your needs
🌳 STEP 3 Select the right plants
🌳 STEP 4 Create the perfect lighting design
🌳 STEP 5 Building and project managing your garden project
STEP 3: Selecting the Right Plants 🌿
Choosing plants is often where the terrace really starts to take on its character. It’s also deeply personal. Every client we work with has different associations with plants and gardens – a flower that reminds them of childhood, a scent that evokes summer holidays, or colours that make them feel calm and at home.
While the emotional side of planting is key, there is also an essential practical layer to this stage. We consider not just what will make you smile but also what will thrive. This means understanding your terrace’s microclimate – is it exposed to strong winds or bathed in sun for most of the day? Does it sit in dappled shade from surrounding trees or buildings? How much rainfall does it typically receive? All of these factors play a crucial role in how successful, and sustainable, your garden will be.
We also always think seasonally – gardens are living, changing spaces. Do you want constant, evergreen structure, or do you enjoy the transformation of plants through the year, with spring blossoms, lush summer foliage, fiery autumn colour, and a starker winter outline? Most often, a mix works best – evergreens for structure and texture, with a few carefully chosen deciduous plants to bring seasonal magic.
A checklist we often use with our clients:
Checklist:
🍃 What colours make you feel calm, uplifted, or inspired?
🍃 Are there particular scents you love – perhaps lavender, rosemary, or citrusy eucalyptus?
🍃 What is the microclimate of your terrace? Is it sheltered or exposed, sunny or shaded?
🍃 Do you want to use the garden as a place to sunbathe or be shaded in or a bit of both?
🍃 Would you prefer a garden that stays green all year or one that changes with the seasons?
🍃 Do you need to screen certain views or add privacy with plants?
🍃Do you have a particular style of garden that you love - such as English country garden, Mediterranean, or Japanese?
A real project example
For one of our recent terrace projects, the clients had two particular requests: they wanted year-round colour with as much evergreen planting as possible, and – somewhat unusually – they wanted to discourage spiders!
We created a bespoke planting scheme designed to tick both boxes. The core palette consisted of evergreen species, which keep the terrace looking lush and structured throughout the year, with foliage and form that shifts subtly as the seasons change.
However, we made an exception for two standout trees: mature Japanese maple ‘Bloodgood’ (Acer palmatum). These beautiful deciduous trees have deep burgundy leaves in spring and summer, turning brilliant red in the autumn months before shedding their leaves entirely in mid-winter. In the colder months, the architectural quality of their bare branches becomes a feature in itself, especially when subtly illuminated with spike lighting for atmospheric evenings.
This kind of contrast – evergreens providing consistency, with one or two ‘statement’ plants offering seasonal drama – is a great way to balance structure with interest.
Spider-repelling plants
To address the spider concern, we specified a selection of aromatic plants known to naturally deter spiders, including lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary. These not only serve a practical purpose but also bring beautiful scent and soft textures to the terrace.
The planting scheme in detail
In the two long beds running along either side of the terrace, we specified:
Three topiary Bay Laurel trees (Laurus nobilis) – evergreen and highly aromatic, providing height and formality.
Three smaller Eucalyptus gunnii (Cider Gum) trees – a silvery-blue foliage that contrasts beautifully with the deeper greens and adds movement in the breeze.
Trailing Fuchsia ‘La Campanella’ – a charming, floriferous plant with delicate blooms that soften the edges of the planters.
Purple Sage (Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens') – evergreen, edible, and richly coloured foliage that brings another sensory layer.
Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ – a striking dwarf ornamental grass with cool blue tones, adding textural variety and grounding the scheme.
At the rear wall of the terrace, we echoed this scheme, with the addition of rosemary bushes in each corner – excellent for cooking and for their scent – and a ring of mint plants around the base of the Japanese maple trees, adding softness and fresh fragrance underfoot.
Why plant selection matters
The right planting transforms a terrace into a living space. It's not just about greenery – it's about creating a feeling. Calmness, privacy, sensory delight, a connection to nature – the plants you choose will shape the mood and atmosphere of the garden.
In the next post, we’ll explore Step 4, where we’ll show how thoughtful lighting design can enhance your garden sanctuary, creating an inviting and magical space long after the sun goes down.