Both house and garden in this project were in great need of total renovation. The client was adding a new extension to the rear of the house and so required a complete garden make over. They were keen for the sloping garden to be managed to contain an area of flat lawn, but also for several levels of raised beds and a further flat area at the back for an Eco-Summerhouse/office.
Before:
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The old garden was in a state of complete disrepair with a broken rear patio and steps, and the sloping garden overgrown with weeds and strewn with old concrete waste. The existing fence was ugly and in a state of collapse.
Design Solutions:
The new house extension took up the space where the old patio had been and so the new patio was raised to the level of the new French doors to give a seamless transition into the garden from the house. Wide steps connect the house with the larger garden which has been structured into terraces with raised beds, inviting steps and a large flat area at the end of the garden on which the Eco-Summerhouse has been built.
After:
Most of the heavy garden leveling was under-taken whilst the rear of the house was removed for the new extension. This enabled machinery to do the heavy lifting instead of shovels. There were extensive discussions on garden materials before settling on the Jura Grey Limestone for the patio, terrace and steps, Western Red Cedar for the horizontal trellis fencing and bricks matching those on the upper story of the house for the raised beds. The bricks will require less maintenance than a painted render and will soon soften down to blend beautifully with the planting and cedar wood.
The planting is semi-formal in the lawn beds with some topiary spheres and repeated planting of structural shrubs like the Pittosporums and Formiums. Geranium 'Rozanne and White Agapanthus will provide good summer colour. As the planting progresses to the back of the garden and under the Birch and Acer trees it becomes more naturalistic and shade tolerant. This will provide a softer more relaxing atmosphere around the Summerhouse terrace and will be shade tolerant. Overall the garden provides a matching, modern and striking addition to the newly renovated house.
The planting is semi-formal in the lawn beds with some topiary spheres and repeated planting of structural shrubs like the Pittosporums and Formiums. Geranium 'Rozanne and White Agapanthus will provide good summer colour. As the planting progresses to the back of the garden and under the Birch and Acer trees it becomes more naturalistic and shade tolerant. This will provide a softer more relaxing atmosphere around the Summerhouse terrace and will be shade tolerant. Overall the garden provides a matching, modern and striking addition to the newly renovated house.