Garden Design - Friday Hill, London E4
The solution to this brief is influenced by Art Deco architecture, featuring clean, bold curves and strong planting. The space is divided into sections to create interest and diversity, using planting and freestanding walls to both mask and reveal the separate areas.
After site clearance, the fences will remain 'Seagrass'. The existing shed shall be removed (by an external contractor) and a new 8 x 6 shed (pent roof) will be sited in the bottom left hand corner of the garden, opening up the entire left hand side of the space.
The first section of the garden shall consist of a detailed patio design adjoining the house. This will feature several parallel curved outlines in red brick, enclosing a random lay pave in 'Camel Dust' Indian Sandstone to create a strong fan motif which terminates on the left hand side in an inset paved circle. The random lay paving will continue down the sideway to create a simple yet elegant surface which is tough enough to support the weight of a family car. The light tone of this paving will help to brighten up this shady area of the garden.
A convex stainless steel water wall, placed amongst planting in the bed to the left of the main patio and framed by a 6ft high rendered block wall, will create a stylish focal point to the first part of the garden.
From the main patio area, a sweeping sandstone path arcs along the left side of the space to terminate in a 2.5m x 4.5m ellipse of pink terrazzo paving in the bottom right corner. This pathway will be bisected at its centre by the remaining fruit tree and framed on either side by 8 x Juniperus scopulorum 'Skyrocket', chosen to add height and structure to the central area of the space. To the right of the path will be a large elliptical lawn, situated roughly in the centre of the garden and edged with red brick for greater definition.
The pink terrazzo ellipse itself will feature a 'Prunus Kiku-shidare-zakura' (Cheal's Weeping Cherry) planted in an off-centre position within the paving. This area will be an ideal suntrap, suitable for sunbathing or café-style alfresco dining. Surrounded by herbaceous planting and shrubbery, it will also benefit from a feeling of enclosure and enhanced privacy. Situated at intervals through the space will be three curved rendered block walls, 1.8m in height and of varied lengths and colours. These walls will serve several purposes. They will act a wind break, providing sheltered planting areas for more sensitive plants; they will dissect the garden, creating interest and intrigue; their shape shall enhance the strong art deco motif at work though out the design; they will provide an effective backdrop for lighting and planting and will provide a splash of colour through the winter months.
The planting in this garden shall be beautiful and elegant with a colour palette ranging across whites, soft pinks, cerise pink and deep plum. Evergreens and deciduous shrubs will nestle alongside strong flowering perennials, plum coloured foliage with leafy greens, to create a lush feel with year round interest. A 'Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' and 'Acer palmatum var. dissectum Crimson Queen' will bring height to the space, with a variety of flowering climbers planted to gradually adorn the high rendered walls. Structure is given with the inclusion of a 'Buxus sempervirens' and 'Ilex x altaclerensis Golden King' and a sense of movement comes in the form of grasses 'Stipa gigantea' and 'Pennisetum alopecuroides Hameln'. The rest of the scheme features strong planting forms with long flowering seasons. Traditional English flowers such as roses and peonies set amongst tall grasses and framed by the rendered block walls will give the planting a contemporary feel. To complete the scheme, we shall place 9 x terracotta elliptical pots housing specimens plants amongst the beds.
Provision for night-time use of the garden will come in the form of a selection of low voltage lighting. 7 x 12v copper downlighters will be mounted at various points on the back of the house, both to aid safety and create an ambient wash to the paved area. 3 x 12v copper downlighters on each of the three rendered walls will create an eye-catching focal point when the sun goes down, while hooded spotlights focussed on each of the eight cypressa lining the winding pathway will gently and discreetly illuminate one's journey through the garden. The lighting scheme will be complete with the addition of 30 x low voltage spots throughout the beds, carefully placed to pick out choice specimens and provide an attractive glow to the entire space.