Front and rear wraparound gardens were designed for an architect and interior designer couple inspired by Annie Elbers' Bauhaus tapestries. A sloping site, a terraced scheme was designed to maximise the functionality of the garden, with styling echoing modernist sensibilities with sleek recti-linear lines and contemporary materials such as sawn and flamed granites with porcelain terraces and clad retaining walls.
Pattern making inspired by the ratio and form found in the tapestries was translated into the paving design with bespoke sized setts with varying tonalities. Colour is introduced through the seasonality of foliage change with warm yellows of the autumnal hues of Betula pubescens and reds and russets of Cornus kousa var. chinensis and Euonymous europeaus. Understory planting of ferns, woodland rushes such as Luzula Nivea and sedges Carex pendula with spring ground cover of Anemone nemerosa bulbs compliment the scheme both architecturally and in context of the garden’s situation within the landscape of the local Chiltern ancient woodlands.
A foraging family garden in the heart of the chilterns AONB was designed to combine the clients’ wish for a garden that helped the family to move to a more self-sufficient lifestyle. It also needed to allow for explorative and playful elements for the children to enjoy and learn, whilst satisfying their requirements to provide entertainment and dining space for events.
Inspired by the arable landscape and stunning views to the farmland valleys beyond the design evolved to provide formal terracing of riven clunch coloured limestone by the house, transitioning to an explorative and cultivated patchwork layout of crops, orchards and edible perennial areas. These are dissected by hedgerows and wildflower meadow vistas to enable both foraging, while linking to the landscape beyond. Hedgerows would continue to the front to give a sense of arrival to the garden as is discovered to the rear, while the beech woodland creates a framework for natural play with spaces made for climbing, balancing, dens and sensory exploration. One’s journey through the garden culminates with a natural swimming pool and deck area where the stunning sunsets and views to the west beyond could be appreciated on a balmy summer’s eve.
Hampton Hill Junior School in Surrey ran a competition to design an early years garden. This project went to public consultation and three designs were chosen as the final winners, of which this was one. We then developed and evolved our concepts to produce a final design. Our designs involved understanding how sensory, natural and explorative play aids childrens’ development and learning, with direction and guidance led from the teachings of child psychology such as that of Jean Piaget. The garden needed to take account of the differing needs of children of different ages and so a zoning approach was utilised, that would enable the garden to give the impression of being a unified space, yet with varying elements. Key to the design was creating areas for the different types of play children engage in, from, open, active, physical play, to quiet, solitary and imaginative play. Living willow structures juxtaposed with grassy mounds, growing areas, living walls and surfaces, with material and planting palettes of contrasting textures, shapes, scents, colours and also integrated musical elements were included.
A north facing garden was remodelled and reshaped to provide a series of ‘garden rooms’ for privacy and to capture the evening sun when the garden would be used the most. A sandstone patio terrace was laid with sleeper edging and division of space was created with living bamboo screening and a gravel garden path with stepping stones. A small formal lawn was re-laid and reshaped into a bold square with large format stone stepping stones.
To the front of the garden the existing privet and escallonia hedge was replaced with a newly designed brick wall. We sourced the bricks ourselves to find imperial sized reclaimed yellow stocks and red rubbers to match the turn of the century brick construction of the house. A bond pattern with queen closure detail was incorporated to suit the house. A natural hydraulic lime mortar was also specified to ensure the soft red rubber bricks would not be damaged by modern cementitious mortars.
A London mosaic pattern tiled path was also designed to replace the damaged and cracked existing encaustic tiled path but this was later changed to a sandstone with a contrasting half bullnose Staffordshire blue brick step detail between the wall piers.
We completed a plant design, sourcing and placement scheme for a front garden in Wimbledon. The client wanted vibrant colours and year round interest. Bright primary coloured perennials such as Salvia, Rudbeckia, Echinacea and Crocosmia were combined with evergreen grasses and Euphorbias for winter interest, and spring bulbs for early colour season colour.
A Georgian cottage in Kew Gardens formed the backdrop for this brief: to create a garden that would work for the events that are held here, in particular due to changes in wedding licensing, to allow for ceremonies in the outdoor space. Observing the historical connection of Kew to the River Thames the garden was inspired by the activity of osier willow harvesting that occurred prolifically at the time the cottage was built. An array of concentric paths rills, pools and willow-banks that represent the riverside landscape nearby, provide a series of spaces that would allow events to take place comfortably, privately and in a relaxed setting. An Accoya timber woven table forms the central feature representing the forms of basket weaving and also providing dining and seating for the wedding events to take place.
