Project Description
Existing – A very tired, neglected garden. The encroaching overgrown planting and shapeless design made it feel small and cramped.
Brief – The client, a mother and her young son, wanted a garden that would be easy to look after, with a lawn, good planting and more seating near the house. The existing paving near the house should be kept as should the old shed.
Solution – The new, geometric design is laid out on rectangular grid. The old, rotten fences were replaced and topped with trellis.
The old shed was treated and stained.
A generous oak bench was built into the brick retaining wall around the paving and the wall was rendered for a more modern feel. New paving at the end of the garden leads up to the shed, where oak blocks are set at either side of a new white barked Birch tree, providing casual seating away from the house. The new lawn is edged with oak strips and surrounded by entirely new planting chosen for year round interest and colour. This includes a low hedge of silver grey Convolvulus, a dwarf purple Pittosporum, bronze Phormium and grasses. At night stainless steel spotlights light the plants and add a dramatic touch. A mulch of bark chippings helps to supress weeds and retain soil moisture.
A simple, effective solution gives this small garden more space and interest. It feels larger and is more practical and easier to maintain. The juxtaposition of natural and man made materials, oak, render, paving, grass and planting, work together to create a cohesive, attractive whole.
Designed by Jeremy Bevan and Lesley Buchan
Built in 2007
Budget approx £7000
