​

Rear garden before construction

Our clients hope to retire in a few years time. So wanted their garden up-dated, to have easy access, be undemanding to maintain and yet beautiful to look at from the new glass room which was to be built onto the rear of the house.

Due to the site’s location, six different neighbours with adjacent gardens and a block of flats a short distance up the hill overlook the garden. All had different fencing styles for our couple to look at.  One neighbour had a row of very tall conifers cut back to the old wood, creating an extremely unattractive vista.

Our clients wanted to achieve as much privacy as possible whilst improving their views.

As they suffer back and knee problems, the clients requested that the very sloping site (towards the house and from left to right) be levelled as far as possible so that the courtyard could be accessible by wheelchair should they become infirm over the years.

Also on the wish list were:

•  A large area in the sun to entertain family -  for dining and relaxing.

•  Water feature (safe for children) with the sound of a gentle water fall.

 •  Relatively traditional planting, yet not too formal.

 •  A Victoria plum tree.

The garden is entered through the recently built glass room. Millboard flooring inside continues out into the courtyard, fudging the boundary between house and garden.

​

 Side garden before construction

Elegant, sawn sandstone slabs, colour-matching the Millboard, pave the courtyard and clad walls and tops of raised beds. The textural change of small setts slows the pace at a Western Red Cedar arch. Wisteria sinesis and Rosa ‘Lady of the Lake’ trained up posts, scent the archway. This simple structure divides the garden, gives height and frames the courtyard’s focal point – a stone-clad wall and sheer-descent water blade.

Gently arching Iris sibirica flank the water feature, contrasting with the horizontal lines of the reticulated wall of small sandstone slivers and echoing the curve of the water’s descent.

The warm hues of Cedar horizontal lath fencing contain the site. Pleached Carpinus betulus - grown above - give screening from neighbours‘ windows and unattractive views.

The sunny side of the garden boasts a bed full of colour and texture enclosing the dining area and visually separating it from the house. In the heat of the day and late into a summer’s evening, this area is perfumed by lavender and roses. Trachelospermum jasminoides, trained on fences, adds its sweet, delicious fragrance.

Down the side of the house a wide, curving pathway and tall bamboos - hiding unappealing views - lead the eye to a distant spire. This shady spot is lightened with soft green planting through smooth, Scottish pebbles.

At night, twinkling, hanging lanterns and in-ground up-lighters guide the way. Up-lit Carpinus, either side of the water feature, focus the view. Small spot lights mounted on their trunks, wash the dining table with light

“Our very grateful thanks to you for our delightful garden”

H & M-Y F - Enfield