LARGE GARDEN
The house of the client’s dreams (and mine come to that) - a perfect cottage in a perfect location looking out over a perfect valley. Our clients were in the process of renovating a substantial countryside property on the outskirts of London when we first came to meet them and view the project.
The house had not seen much love for many years but the potential was as obvious to us as it was to them. Everything needed love and attention including an existing tennis court and swimming pool. A particularly problematic area was the front drive and parking area that was on a steep slope and far too small for modern car ownership. The house however stood centrally in the plot so enjoyed fantastic views on all four sides and this was to be exploited in the design.
The skill required here as a designer was to draw up a totally new scheme involving the entire plot, resolving its inherent tricky ground level variations whilst keeping garden maintenance to a minimum for the busy family. New pathways leading out from the house exits link all four sides of the house where we will find various terraces, a swimming pool, a gym and a garden office.
We were careful to make the views out from the house through windows and doorways beautiful and pretty, distant valley views and carefully sited focal points like specimen trees, pergolas arches and gateways entice the user through the gardens on a wonderful journey where hours can be lost enjoying the scent of jasmine and roses and the sun at all times of the day.
The design has integrated all of the client’s needs and the quality and finish of the build was exceptional. The garden is a harmonious blend of more modern materials and traditional English country planting. By contrasting limestone with oak timber and heritage brick along with a luxurious planting scheme, the garden has a really fresh feel at the same time sitting tirelessly with the period house and country surroundings. The garden is used from morning to night with the early morning sun flooding the breakfast terrace to the late evening sun going down on the perched deck overlooking the valley. The level changes around the plot are a strong feature of the design adding dynamics and intrigue to the experience.
