Garden for Entertaining, Relaxation and Contemplation

Client:

Residential, Ascot

This garden has a modern, contemporary entertaining space close to the house, taking advantage of a south facing aspect and views towards woodland. There is space for a seating area and a dining and BBQ terrace. Planting is hot and colourful – purples, blues and oranges – to give it a vibrant feeling. As you move further out into the garden, there is a deck facing east – a place to enjoy the morning sun, and an evening sunset terrace where you can enjoy a drink, and light a fire to extend your evening long after sunset.

The pathways through the lawn then lead you on a journey through the garden – providing places to explore, and rest along the way. Woodland edge planting is blues, greens and whites to provide a calming ambience. A new kids’ retreat nestles on the edge of the woodland.

The final part of the garden is woodland, which has been left to have a natural feeling – pathways lead to a brook at the bottom of the garden where there is a boardwalk raised above the woodland floor, and a deck in a woodland clearing overlooking the brook. A relaxing place to read a book and have a quiet cup of coffee.

Entertaining Terrace

Walls and hedges are laid out around the dining courtyard to provide a feeling of privacy whilst still providing garden and woodland views. Planting is colourful - purples and oranges - and multi-stem Hazel trees provide some shade and interest. A lovely place for a BBQ and a glass of wine!

View towards the house and terrace

The pleached Hornbeam trees in front of the wall provide privacy from the road and the houses beyond. This view shows the walls and hedges providing structure around the dining terrace and the pathway that leads out towards the rest of the garden

View from raised balcony

The curving pathway leads from the house to a sunken firepit area for evening sundowners watching the sunset, and a morning coffee spot under the beech tree. The pathway then draws you down the garden, encouraging you to explore further into the woodland

Woodland retreat

Halfway down the garden the pathways cross - leading off to the woods and to the productive area. The client wanted a new retreat for their teenage children to chill out in, so a new cabin overlooks the woods

View from the picture window

The client had a picture window looking out into the garden with a view of a beautiful mature beech tree. In order to enhance this view, a low wall was introduced and colourful planting added to frame the view

Outline plan

The plan shows the curving pathways used throughout the garden to encourage exploration. Curving hedges which cross the pathways help to create different views and a sense of intrigue

The journey through the garden

This image highights the zones in the garden and how the planting will be used to differentiate the atmosphere in each area - hot, dry and colourful near the house; and cool, green and shady encouraging a sense of restorative calm in the woodland further down the garden