Colourful garden for entertaining

Client:

Residential Rear Garden, Gerrards Cross

The key to this rear garden development was to add colour – it was a very evergreen garden with several mature conifers throughout the space – and an enhanced entertaining space. The old paved area was retained in order to provide a more sustainable solution – it was cleaned up and reshaped, and some new planting beds close to the house were cut into it in order to bring the feeling of greenery nearer the house. A new clay paver seating area was added to the paved terrace to create a different seating zone and provide contrast with the existing paving. A new curved pathway leads down the garden to the existing garden room and storage shed.

The planting is split into three themes – the first, closest to the house, is full of colour – hot oranges, yellows and purples provide zing throughout the summer months. Close to the garden room, and under a conifer, a new gravel garden was created to provide a contrast and deal with the difficult, dry conditions under the tree. In another part of the garden, under existing trees, a new woodland garden was created with woodland floor natives. Winter colour was also a consideration, with coloured stems, bright berries and interesting winter foliage added throughout the garden.

A winding path leads down the garden

A new plant-lined pathway was designed to lead the eye down the garden and encourage exploration

Abundant Planting

The client brief was Colour! so this border adjoining the path was designed to incorporate dense colourful planting that changes throughout the year - purples and pinks in the Spring, moving on to oranges and yellows as the year progresses

Surrounded by nature

The original garden lacked planting and all the seating space was close to the house. The design created a seating area a bit further away from the house in contrasting clay paver bricks, and planting was added close to the house to soften the back of the house and ensure the seating areas felt surrounded by nature

Calming water

A new bubbling water feature was added to the relaxed seating area adding the soothing sound of water to the garden. It's surrounded by abundant planting, bringing nature close to the house

Water and Plants

The water feature is nestled into planting to create a serene space to sit and relax

Gravel Garden

A new gravel garden was created in the shade of the conifer. This provides a different feeling to the space in front of the garden office and provides a shady seating area to enjoy a view back towards the house

Before

The original garden lacked planting and interest. Large conifers dominated the garden and there was almost no seasonal interest

Design - Entertaining Space

New planting beds close to the house provide a greater sense of arrival and enhance the view from inside the house. The new expanded seating area provides plenty of space for dining, and relaxing

Design - Garden View

Planting wraps around the terrace and the new pathway leads the eye down the garden. A new water feature is tucked into the corner of the new terrace providing the relaxing sound of trickling water

Design - Gravel and woodland gardens

A new gravel garden and woodland planting gives this space a different feel to the rest of the garden. There is space under the tree for shady seating

Sunny Planting

Zingy oranges, yellows and purples will bring a riot of colour to the summer garden, against the backdrop of the existing evergreen trees

Warm Winter Colour

Beautiful autumn colour merges into bright pops of winter interest to ensure there is colour throughout the year

Woodland Garden

Cool blues and whites along with evergreen ferns and grasses provide ground cover under the shady trees