Another day, another garden.
Andy and I just completed an outside space in west London for a couple and their three children. The brief was to create a garden for the whole family to enjoy.
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Perspective [the red blob is a bean bag!] |
Sunlight was key for the family: the garden at the outset felt rather cold and damp. The far end of the garden caught the light but was not accessible owing to some raised planters. Hence, we proposed taking out the part of the planter set against the existing brick wall. This walled area then would become a perfect spot for decking.
We wanted this to be a little bit like an outside ‘playroom’. So to make the space feel more uniform and clean, we proposed constructing screens, which were rendered and painted. Towards the west side of the garden, set into the decking is sandpit circa 1m x 1m. The children could perch on the edge of the decking of the grass and play to their hearts’ content!
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| The layout plan |
Once the kids were tucked up in bed, we imagined this decking area to be both great for entertaining and a place of refuge to enjoy a quiet glass of wine. The subtle spotlighting and dense planting would provide a refreshing ambience.
The plants were set in raised planters. Planters were used for several reasons. First, to provide some elevation in the garden; second, to provide a clean frame to complement the square turf; third, these were an effective way of dealing with the excess soil produced from building the lawn and deck.
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| End result [excluding final planting] towards covered sandpit |
The planting comprised certain plants that were already in the garden. These were given a new lease of life by adding some architectural newcomers, such as New Zealand flax, ferns and hostas. Splashes of colour are provided by geraniums and aquilegias, to complement the existing yellow and golds of the foliage. Several of the plants can be enjoyed for their scent or culinary use, such as sage, rosemary and choisyas. So the children can pick and try these.
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View towards decking area [still awaiting final planting -
the hostas haven't yet been planted in this photo] |
The main area of the garden was a fresh and clean patch of artificial turf.
The area was levelled as far as possible to ensure that the turf and the decking were flush, ensuring a smooth transition across the garden. This also meant that the use of the space was maximised (whether for a game of badminton or tag) without the inconvenience of steps.
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| Picture of japanese maple. In this picture, the hostas haven't yet been planted |
We were delighted with the result and hope that it brings pleasure to the five of them for years to come!
