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Ideal Home’s report highlights Richard E. Grant’s repeated use of topiary hedges to define areas of his garden while keeping the space visually connected. Garden designers say hedges can add year-round structure and shelter, but take time to establish and need regular trimming.
Richard E. Grant’s garden uses repeated topiary hedges to mark out distinct areas, including a seating space, while keeping the outdoor layout visually connected, according to a report by Ideal Home. The example highlights how hedging can bring structure and year-round greenery to a garden, though experts cited in the report say it requires patience and ongoing care.
Ideal Home describes Grant’s outdoor space as an eclectic garden with features including decorations hanging from trees and evergreen planting. The report says the repeated hedging helps divide the space into clear zones without making it look like a collection of unrelated sections. It does not provide measurements, a planting plan or details about the specific hedges shown in the garden.
Garden designer Michael Wheat, founder of Ponds by Michael Wheat, told Ideal Home that repeating one material for division helps a garden feel like “one place with rooms in it.” He said this approach can create a coherent layout rather than treating each area differently. The hedges can define spaces such as seating areas, while leaving the garden connected overall.
Richard Barker, a horticultural expert and commercial director of LBS Horticulture, said the evergreen plants in Grant’s garden help it remain green throughout the year. He also cautioned that hedges may take years to reach their full height and are less easy to relocate than some alternatives. The report says hedging can be kept low for subtle boundaries or grown taller for more screening.
How Hedges Shape Garden Spaces
The report’s practical point is that garden zoning is not limited to large properties. Dividing an outdoor space into areas for dining, sitting, growing plants or supporting wildlife can give each part a clearer purpose. Wheat told Ideal Home that breaking up an open plot can make it feel larger because people move through it rather than seeing the whole space at once.
Hedges also bring functions beyond visual separation. According to Barker, dense planting can shelter birds and insects, reduce noise and provide protection from wind. Evergreen varieties can retain their screening and structure through the year, although those benefits depend on the plant, its location and how it is maintained. These are general points from the experts quoted in the report, not measurements of conditions in Grant’s garden.
The main trade-off is time. Wheat said yew may take years to reach the desired height and needs trimming once or twice a year to retain a crisp shape. He also pointed to risks affecting box, including box blight and box tree moth. Hornbeam may establish faster, he said, and can retain brown leaves in winter, but that is not the same as remaining green year-round.
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The Report’s Garden-Zoning Advice
Ideal Home presents Grant’s garden as an example of using a consistent boundary treatment to create separate outdoor “rooms.” The report draws on comments from Wheat and Barker to explain the design choice and its drawbacks. It does not say Grant has recommended a particular plant or that he has publicly described the garden’s design himself.
The article also notes alternatives for people who want boundaries without planting a permanent hedge. Trellis with climbing plants and freestanding privacy screens are among the options mentioned. These can be easier to reposition, although their appearance and suitability will depend on the garden and the product chosen. The report does not compare their cost, longevity or environmental effects.
“He has used one material to do the dividing rather than a different treatment in every area, so the garden reads as one place with rooms in it, not as a set of unrelated patches.”
— Michael Wheat, garden designer and founder of Ponds by Michael Wheat, quoted by Ideal Home
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Details of Grant’s Planting
The report does not identify the exact species, ages or dimensions of the hedges in Grant’s garden, nor does it state how long they took to establish. It also offers no confirmation that Grant personally selected or maintains each plant. Its comments about noise reduction, wildlife shelter and growth rates come from the experts quoted, rather than from a study of this particular garden.
The source does not give a publication date, and the supplied material does not establish whether the garden has changed since the report was published. Readers considering similar planting would need advice suited to their local conditions and available space.
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Choosing a Suitable Garden Boundary
There is no announced follow-up from Grant or Ideal Home in the source material. For gardeners using the report as inspiration, the next step is to decide what each zone needs: a low visual boundary, year-round screening, a wildlife-friendly shelter or a more temporary divider. Plant choice should reflect the desired height, growing conditions and willingness to prune.
Anyone considering topiary should account for the time needed to establish it and the recurring work required to keep its shape. Trellis, climbing plants or a freestanding screen may suit people who need a boundary that is quicker to install or easier to change. The report does not identify one solution as right for every garden.
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Key Questions
How does Richard E. Grant use hedging in his garden?
Ideal Home says repeated topiary hedges define separate areas, including a seating space, while helping the garden feel like one connected place.
Can garden zoning work in a small garden?
Yes. Garden designer Michael Wheat told Ideal Home that dividing a small plot into areas can make it feel larger and encourage people to move through it. The effect will depend on the garden’s layout and how its zones are arranged.
What are the drawbacks of topiary hedges?
Hedges can take years to reach their intended height and need regular trimming. Wheat said yew may need cutting once or twice a year to retain a crisp shape; the source also notes risks to box from blight and box tree moth.
What can replace hedging as a garden divider?
The report mentions trellis with climbing plants and freestanding privacy screens as alternatives. They may suit gardeners seeking a boundary that is easier to reposition, but the source does not compare their performance or costs with living hedges.
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