This garden had become outdated and needed a more contemporary look. My clients; brief included creating additional entertaining/seating areas, a lawn for their dogs to run around on and a new summerhouse with pergola. Updated planting and a new utility area were also on the wish list.
Update 2023
Update summer 2023 – originally my clients were keen to reuse as many plants and materials as possible. New gabion walls were to be filled with the stone from the existing raised bed walls at the rear of the garden. However, with the costs of landscaping ever increasing over the past 2 years this meant that the original budget was not sufficient for the first design.
One of the benefits of using a professional garden designer is that I can make changes and still come up with a simplified design that my clients will be happy with. The garden has now been built and they are already enjoying spending time in the new seating and dining areas. A pergola was added over the extended terrace area. A water feature creates a focal point that can be enjoyed from the inside the house. My clients are going to change the shapes of the existing borders themselves and the garden will be planted up later in the year. Some of the existing shrubs will be retained and reshaped to allow a larger planting area.
A careful choice of planting will help unify the new borders with the slightly modified, existing curved raised bed at the rear of the garden.
Informal and dynamic planting will create a relaxed feel to the garden. Species that will naturally self seed in the gravelled area are used giving colour and form to soften the geometric design of the hard landscaping. Shrubs and trees will add structure and year round interest
3D visuals
A sense of enclosure to the dining area is given by the use of bespoke wooden screens. They allow glimpses of the planting beyond and provide a visual link to the front garden which also uses this detail.
In front of the summer house at the rear of the garden a new secluded seating area has been made. Part of the gabion wall is wood-topped to provide additional seating when entertaining.
The garden before…
