Garden Design - Buckhurst Hill, Essex IG9

The Brief

• A recent move has prompted client to focus more on creating a desirable garden space
• The plot has a slight incline away from the house which will need to be considered in the design
• Client requires a low maintenance and easy care garden
• Privacy is a key issue - if possible the garden should be screened from on-lookers
• The plot is very open and suffers from a lack of shade
• Space currently has little to offer by way of interesting plants

The Solution

• A tranquil Mediterranean courtyard garden
• A timber pergola will cover a substantial proportion of the garden. This structure will provide ample screening and shade for it users, and allow pretty climbers a chance to show off, while still allowing a comfortable amount of sunlight through. The timber construction will give the illusion of an archway, a common feature in a Mediterranean courtyard, and will allow for the addition of ornamentation such as hanging baskets and wind chimes
• Slate flooring will add a clean richness to the space, giving the garden a rustic appearance. The various different hues to be found in slate tiles will compliment the terracotta of the planting pots
• A planting palette of semi-tropical planting, with specimen plants and some evergreens, including a weeping silver birch, will enhance the Mediterranean courtyard theme
• The existing bench will be set into an alcove on one side of the raised bed, helping to impart a sense of enclosure and sanctuary
• Genuine Cretan pots will form an attractive feature in the space. Handcrafted by skilled potters on the island of Crete, and fired to unusually high temperatures to help withstand the British winter, the pots have been selected for their unique designs. Two similar pots will be placed either side of the water feature and will feature standard specimen Bay trees - a further two pots within the main area of the garden will feature Variegated Agaves.
• The water feature itself is a beautiful and unusual Etruscan pool, complete with sculpted verdigris spouts in the shape of swimming fish. Designed by British sculptor Caroline Russell-Lacy, these unique constructions are self circulating so that a constant water supply is not required. The pool will add the final flourish to the space, its gentle splashing helping to create a tranquil environment which will further enhance the Mediterranean styling of the garden
• A raised bed dedicated solely to culinary herbs will be situated by the back door, so that the herby aromas will waft through the kitchen on hot summer days and allowing for ease and convenience when cooking
• Terracotta pots fixed to the wall of the house will help to 'break' the wall up a bit and will encourage the eye to view the space as containing a few different levels
• By confining planting to raised beds and pots, thus eliminating the need to bend down, the design will allow the client ease of gardening. Raised beds will also help to set the planting off, by raising them closer to eye level, and will add to the feeling of enclosure and privacy in the space.

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