The space is a typical urban garden, bounded on three sides by established Privet hedge
The client has a grandchild who visits regularly, and therefore would like the redesign to be suitable for both adults and children.
There are some good quality specimen plants currently growing in the space, but unfortunately they are not being displayed to their full potential.
Budget limitations are also a factor for consideration, as the client needs to spread available funds to meet the costs of renovations planned for the interior of the property.
The design centres around a large curved decked area laid adjacent to the house, tapering to a point roughly halfway down the space where it joins an oval shaped area of lawn. Running counter clockwise around this lawn will be a bold curve of fixed decked cubes of various heights. Where this snake of cubes meets the decking proper the theme will be continued with a series of square cut-outs, cubed deck planters and freestanding deck cubes on casters, winding across the middle of the decked area. Planting within the cut-outs and deck planter will comprise tall and elegant 'Phyllostachys nigra‘ and low growing grass, all mulched with Mirrories (produced from crushed CDs) to give a very contemporary feel.
Surrounded by flush beds, the oval lawn will be edged around its circumference with galvanised steel lawn edging. As well as preventing the mulch from the beds overflowing onto the lawn, this will also give the lawn a very contemporary feel and aesthetic appeal. The beds themselves will feature three contemporary sculptures at strategic points around the space. These will be constructed by sinking new scaffold poles of various heights into concrete in a spiral shape, and will be complimented by the construction of three tube shaped scaffold pole planters to bring extra height into the space.
The tubular theme will be echoed in the placement of a child friendly, stainless steel, water feature in the bed near the main area of decking. This will feature three tubular columns of varying heights, down which water will flow into an underground reservoir to create an elegant and attractive focal point to the space.
The planting scheme is inspired by sub-tropical jungle, and will feature huge leafy greens and dramatic coloured foliage. Exclusively non-flowering, the planting concentrates on texture, colour and form to create a varied, verdant space with year round interest. A graceful 'Robinia pseudoacacia Frisia‘ will feature in the bed to the right of the garden, with the rest of the space planted with a selection of hostas, grasses, and other green architectural planting.
To complete the space, the broken fence panels on either side of the house will be replaced. Both the new fences and existing shed will be stained dark brown to increase their longevity and enhance their aesthetic appeal.
