There’s something very satisfying about framing a doorway with planting. It softens the lines of the house and makes stepping outside feel like more of an occasion. Over Easter at Gamekeeper’s Cottage, I finally sorted out the space either side of the back door, placing a pair of reclaimed planters on the brick doorstep, with the newly laid paving just in front of them.
The planters are 30cm wide and full of character, picked up from a reclamation yard, so they already feel at home here. I wanted something that would look good for as much of the year as possible, without feeling over-designed or fussy. So, as I’ve done a few times now, I turned to ChatGPT for ideas.
After a bit of back and forth, we settled on a simple but pleasing combination. Each planter has a David Austin ‘Olivia Rose Austin’ rose at its centre; soft pink, repeat flowering, and well-behaved enough for a pot. At the front of each, I planted a Serbian bellflower, which should trail gently over the edge as it grows. Around the sides and back, I added three creeping thyme plants for scent, texture, and a bit of ground-hugging interest.
The soil mix is a blend of four parts multipurpose compost to one part horticultural sand, to make sure the drainage is good enough for the thyme and the rose roots don’t stay too wet. The whole thing feels balanced and natural, with a cottage garden feel in miniature.
It helps that the planters now sit neatly on the old brick doorstep, with the new paved area just beyond. That small project has made a big difference to how the space feels. If you missed it, I wrote about laying the paving here.
There’s a video on the Gamekeeper’s Cottage YouTube channel showing how it all came together.