Small and Perfectly Formed in Notting Hill
brief
A young couple have a small balcony in London’s Notting Hill. It is very modest, but they rightly feel that this doesn’t preclude them from having a designed outside space that they can enjoy and be proud of. Planting is to be contemporary and low maintenance, to provide year round interest and needs to be hardy enough to withstand west London winds. They require a table and chairs and want them to be a modern design statement. They love the uniform pools of colour associated with Luis Barragan and would like the balcony boundaries to be crisp rendered walls.
design
To follow…!
Funky Front Garden in Reading
brief
Our latest client has recently restored an awesome Victorian house in a popular conservation area in Reading. The brief is for the front garden and our client wants a striking and modern scheme that sits in perfect harmony with her house. The planting is to be a combination of traditional and contemporary. The hard landscaping is to incorporate the ubiquitous bins we all have and is to use slate. And economy is the name of the game, as the scheme is to be delivered on a low budget…
design
the resultant design is cool and understated, reflecting the traditional architecture of the house as well as introducing more modern elements such as slate and Cotswold aggregate. The planting conforms to a limited colour palette of burnt oranges, browns and ochres. The bins are housed in a chamber, fronted by a bespoke wrought iron gate and low key lighting is incorporated, and all to budget!
Form and Function in Bray
brief
This garden backs onto a stunning Lodge House from the late 19th century. Our client is looking for a scheme for the back garden that combines traditional and productive garden elements with sharp, modern design. A greenhouse is requested, as well as a productive garden producing fruit, vegetables and herbs. The planting is to be a modern take on cottage style planting and is to provide year round interest. The hard landscaping is to be sympathetic to the house. Our client is looking for modern elements, and is to include a water feature as well as contemporary sculpture.
design
A huge greenhouse bestrides the design, flanked by an avenue of fruit trees and raised vegetable beds. Strong, crisp lines define the hard landscaping, using a combination of York stone and antique brick. A tranquil mirror pool sits alongside a generous terrace. Planting combines both architectural form with tightly clipped box and yew, with soft and traditional cottage planting. Modern grasses sit within lupins and lavender giving the scheme a firm foot in tradition with a nod to modern perennial planting.
Portrait
Cool and Contemporary in Clapham
brief
Our client owns the garden flat in an imposing Victorian townhouse in trendy Clapham. The garden is long and narrow and is currently being used for a rusty BBQ and weeds! A full overhaul of the garden is required to create the contemporary space he desires. The garden, acting as an ‘outdoor room’, is to be both an entertaining space as well as a tranquil urban retreat. Planting to be low maintenance with a wow factor. Water is wanted, so long as it can fit in to the budget!
design
The emphasis of the resulting scheme is on using the garden as an outdoor room. There are two terraces: a sunken one adjoining the house and a more intimate area towards the rear, sat under mature Birch trees. The planting is unobtrusive and low maintenance, combining evergreen shrubs and perennials. Travertine stepping stones extend across the garden, floating over a mirror pool and leading behind a tree screen to the rear.
Garden Glamour in Alderley Edge
brief
A young couple in the fashionable environs of Manchester required a minimal redesign of hard landscaping, but a full planting design for their long and narrow garden. Emphasis is to be placed on grasses and perennials that give all year round interest.
design
The hard landscaping was tidied up and formalised with a long stepping stone path connecting the house with the large, existing entertaining area at the end of the garden. Bold drifts of Calamagrostis hugs the side of the scheme and the length of the garden is broken up with geometrical hedging, with a multi-stemmed Amelanchier sitting proudly in the middle. The planting within the beds follow a light blue colour palette and will dance in the everpresent breeze.
Order and Structure in Notting Hill
brief
A private sixth form College in central London are looking for a redesign of their outdoor space. This is to be a contemporary and utilitarian redesign with a formality that reflects the rigour of education. Planting will be bold, sustainable and architectural and the hard landscaping will be clean and tranquil for the students. There is also a semi-internal garden which needs establishing for exotics.
design
A simple, clean and formal design emanated from the brief. Silver Birches punctuate the design and a combination of resin-bonded aggregate and rendered blockwork give an ordered and tranquil symmetry. A floating block wall separates a bespoke bicycle area. The internal garden is an exotic jungle, using Dicksonias and ferns.
Evolution and Revolution in Lewes
brief
A long term, labour of love project on a family house. The garden is just under 2 acres and lies on heavy clay. The commission is to redesign the garden in stages, firstly creating a formal drive and front garden and a terrace to the rear. A series of outdoor rooms are to be created over the years to add the stunning and beautiful garden that this 300 year old brick and flint house deserves.
design
The design so far has provided a formal and classic front garden, using a variety of trees as well as Euphorbias, Yew and Box. A limestone terrace to the rear provides entertaining space, held beautifully with floriforous beds and borders.
Family and Form in Bournemouth
brief
We pitched for this project and got to outline proposal design stage. The clients wanted a full redesign of their sloping site to provide a multi-use space. They wanted space for entertaining as well as their young children to play.
design
Terracing divides the garden vertically providing space for the children to play at the bottom, with a sunken trampoline. The area abutting the house provides ample entertaining space with generous beds and borders to provide planting interest.
Wet and Wild in Cobham
We pitched for this project, getting to outline proposal stage. It was to create a curvilinear and natural garden with a large pond as the central feature. It was to be an environmentally friendly garden, which encouraged biodiversity and supported local wildlife.
An Artist’s Paradise in Cobham
We pitched for this exciting project, getting to design stage. The clients, just entering their retirement, wanted a complete overhaul of their garden. This was to include ample entertaining space, utility areas, a formal front garden and an artist’s studio.