Private garden designs
A family garden - Great Longstone, Derbyshire
The brief was to redesign a dated and tired medium-sized garden in an area known for its limestone buildings and walls. The clients wanted the garden to flow naturally to connect each space together. They wanted secret seating areas with an abundance of naturalistic planting for all seasons and a minimal palette of soft pale hues and tones.
When I first visited the space, I noticed how constrained it was. The brown concrete paving outside the French doors simply had to go. The clients wanted an airy, lighter feel with curved lines.
It was quite a challenge bringing the space together, there was lots to think about in terms of the aspect of each side and how much light would be available to the plants. The two children also needed a space of their own to play, so we kept a part of the lawn and a sand pit around the tree.
The bench was constructed on site using London Stone bricks and red cedar batons. The idea was to have a space for the plants to merge along one side of the bench.
We used cobbled limestone from Mandarin stone to create an old English country garden feel for part of the patio by the French doors, leading onto larger paving area for the bench and the fire pit. In time, the climbing jasmine and the many clematis growing up the arch and the fencing will ensure privacy and a sense of enclosure for some quite time alone or to do yoga. A winding gravel path leads out along a large perennial border and then to another seating area which captures the morning sun, great for a coffee break.
“The garden is looking fabulous, we absolutely love it and have spent so much more time already in the garden. I was looking back at some pictures from just a few months ago and it's completely transformed how we are using the space, it's such a joy. I was out last night doing my yoga by the back doors thinking just how lucky we are.” Sophie.
Credits
Georgina Burdeau
Garden design
Planting design
C Richardson Landscapes
Garden build