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Site Description:
A large garden wrapping around a grand ornate stone and
rendered (partially pink) Victorian house. Garden is overlooked
by a chapel which which is used as a business centre and
which the client had begun to screen using new trees and
trellis. Existing mature trees included a large Silver
Birch, Oak and Lilac. Boundaries were original stone walls
and an overgrown aucuba (spotted laurel) hedge.
The garden lacked structure, being mainly lawn and had
limited seasonal interest. There was a newly built paved
terrace on the rear leading to the back door. Parking
was restricted to 1 car on the remnants of a concrete
garage foundation. There were lots of sloping changes
of level around the garden; in particular the main path
was uneven as well as sloping up to to the front door
and then down to the rented basement flat.
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The Brief:
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To
create a 'Grand Design' in keeping with the house.
The front door area needed a broader, more welcoming
entrance and the path was to re-use the existing Victorian
pavers.
Steps would define different levels
The lawn areas were to be more defined
Several terraced areas were to be created for morning
and afternoon sun and the client's recent terrace
to be integrated into the design.
Parking was needed for 2 cars and needed screening.
Existing shed and compost bins were to be integrated
into design as a utility area.
More privacy for the family was essential in the back
area as access to the basement flat cut through the
garden.
Seasonal interest to be particularly visible from
the kitchen window.
Planting would need to take account of the shady woodland
and hot sunny areas which the client would carry out
in stages. |
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The Design:
Entrance
A generous and bold patterned path leads the visitor to
the front door and creates a safer gradient down towards
the basement flat. New stone walls retain the broad, curved
planting bed around the birch tree and match existing
garden walls.
Back
A beautiful timber arbour (western red cedar) was built
over the existing terrace to 'break up the pink facade
of house wall and will weather to an attractive silvery
grey over time. Red and white grape vines will help shade
this hot sunny area.
A pergola walk links the new parking area with the rear
terrace and back kitchen door and is planted with purple
wisteria and lavender hedging. Two further terrace areas
were created on the front and side of the garden using
self-binding gravel. Blue engineering brick and gravel
steps link the changing levels.
Lawn has been retained in the back garden back togeter
with 'wild area' which has been planted with new trees,
shrubs adn a rang eof wild meadow plants.
Front:
Lawn shape and planting areas in front garden are
yet to be completed by client butis anticipated to finish
in 2007.
Planting:
Mixed sun and shade planting was designed for interest
with old shrub roses, irises, grasses and sedums as well
as dogwoods and acanthus. Lots of climbers were used to
clothe the screen the boundaries and utility area using
clematis, climbing roses, golden hop, honeysuckles, vines
and ivies. Informal woodland planting flanks the entrance
with ferns, hellebores, grasses, ajuga, hemerocallis and
hostas.
Note: some areas are still in progress.
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