Charlotte Hugh with snapdragons
In just a few short years, Charlotte Hugh from @new.house.home has completely transformed her empty new build plot into a riot of texture, colour and scent. Working with her husband Ben, she has added a greenhouse, a pergola, brick paths, several unique ‘zones’ and a huge number of plants to their gorgeous outside space. Find out how she created her dream garden, and what has been her biggest regret…

Tell us about your current garden

images of Charlotte Hugh's garden

Images courtesy of Charlotte Hugh

I love the cottage garden aesthetic where nothing is too perfect, there are lots of characterful touches and an informal planting scheme. I’m not a big fan of strict colour schemes. I’m very much an “if I like it, I’ll plant it” type of person! Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn’t, but I think it certainly adds to the unique feeling of the garden.

What inspires you?

Images of Charlotte Hugh's garden

Images courtesy of Charlotte Hugh

Creating this garden has helped me learn to embrace change — whether that’s the arrival of a new season or a shift in taste. I’ve learnt to love switching things up, trying new things, and learning every day. The more I learn about my garden, the more it inspires me. From noticing which plants are thriving to those that aren’t, taking note of winning planting combinations or the ones that haven’t quite worked out — all of this gives me so much inspiration to keep working on the garden.

They always say “a garden is never finished,” and I think that’s the biggest inspiration behind everything I do. And always the best excuse to add a new plant or two!

What are you most proud of?

Images of Charlotte Hugh's greenhouse

Images courtesy of Charlotte Hugh

I’m proud of how much of the garden Ben (my husband) and I have done ourselves. It’s taken us a few years, but we’ve designed, built, and planted everything ourselves – growing a lot from seed or bulb too, where possible.

I’m also super proud of the responses I get from sharing our garden online. My goal is really to inspire other new-build owners to transform their spaces – hopefully shaking off that ‘new build’ stereotype – while sharing simple tips on how to do so.

What are your future plans?

Images of Charlotte Hugh's garden

Images courtesy of Charlotte Hugh

Eventually, I’d love to take on the challenge of transforming an older garden—so maybe one day we’ll move… if I can ever bear to leave this garden. But for now, my big aim is to work on my planting combinations and get those just right.

I’m also thinking about adding more trees for privacy. One regret I have is that we only planted trees along the boundary instead of embracing the idea of having them throughout the garden. So I’d like to rethink our approach to trees – but watch this space!

Top gardening tips for beginners

Charlotte Hugh's greenhouse

Image courtesy of Charlotte Hugh

If you have a new-build garden like we did, it can feel totally overwhelming starting from scratch. Here are my three top tips:

  1. Don’t be afraid of failure – you learn the most by giving it a go.
  2. Don’t rush to design your garden before you’ve really lived with it. Learn where the sun hits at different times of the day, see how you use the space, and think about the types of ‘zones’ you want to create to suit your family’s needs.
  3. Work on your soil! Especially if you’re in a new build. Add lots of organic matter like mulch, manure, and compost to improve your soil quality. Your plants will thank you for it.

Grow like Charlotte

Allium ‘Millenium’ from T&M

Image: Allium ‘Millenium’ from T&M

If you want to buy some of the plants Charlotte showcases on her Instagram page, here’s a quick shopping list:

We hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about Charlotte Hugh from @new.house.home. For more inspiration, our full series of Featured Gardeners is packed with hugely knowledgeable growers who are also worth a follow.

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