The garden design brief was to make a space where the clients could relax and rejuvenate amongst planting, they had a bold vision and wanted something unique and special.

The sunken seating area holds a gas fire table and elegant seating over which sits a large, bespoke iroko timber pergola, which has staggered uninterrupted views through the planting to allow for full immersion whist relaxing on the sofas.

A jura beige limestone path leads to a cedar clad hot tub area which is surrounded by vertical timber slats to give a feeling of privacy and enclosure. The immersion in water allows the eyes to be immersed in planting.

Mass planting of perennials, grasses and bulbs sit beneath five large, multi stem amelanchier trees with their stunning spring blossom, cool green summer coat which turns to a vibrant autumn orange red before revealing the sculptural shape of the multi stem trunks.

A top lawn has been kept for football and a trampoline.

This garden was completed January 2022

Room Outside

Small courtyards and terraces are particularly important for those living in towns and cities and need to be designed with care and attention to ensure that space is optimised. The smaller the space, the more important it is that it looks good and adds value to a home.

This space was to blend harmoniously with the interior designed town house which is a palette of soft blues and creams. The brick wall at the rear, although providing privacy also took the eye so my challenge was to bring the eye back into the garden whilst providing a feeling of seclusion and relaxation. This was achieved by bringing height, movement and a bubbling water feature into the space. The lush planting will fill out over time, and the fences will be covered with jasmine and white rambling roses filling the garden with scent and blooms all summer long. To minimise the impact of the wall I have chosen Betula utilis jacquemontii 'Doorenbos' with it’s crisp white bark which almost glows on a cold winter’s day and is shown to full effect in this multi stem form. Patterned tiles are used as a fun and effective way to introduce pattern and texture near the house, extending the living space from the inside out.

Elegant Sanctuary

Royal Wells Estate- Tunbridge Wells

The clients are based in overseas in Asia and wanted a low maintenance entertaining space to include dining and lounging areas with a fire table. Evergreen topiary with cloud trees were used as a nod to the clients connection with Asia. Cedar timber was used to clad the original fencing, a bespoke cedar wood pergola was built to cover the dining area to allow for privacy whilst dining. The use of anemone “Honorine Jobert” brings a seasonal change and is deliberate, as these single flowered Japanese anemones are one of the plants traditionally associated with Japanese gardens, and are used to brighten up a shady corner. The white agapanthus has semi-evergreen foliage, and large heads of white trumpet-shaped flowers, which appear on the upright stems in mid- to late summer. It looks wonderful when used as a foil for the golden foliage of hakonechloa macra “All Gold”. Star jasmine, an evergreen climber with rich, dark green leaves which turn bronze in winter with clusters of highly fragrant, pure white flowers which are produced from mid- to late summer is planted on each leg of the bespoke, cedar pergola. Providing a peaceful, private, scented retreat.

Hall House

This Grade 2 Listed 15th Century yeoman's Hall House in Kent on a 5 acre site needed a complete design and development programme to bring the garden up to date. The site was completely overgrown with no structure or boundaries, the age and history of the site had to be considered at all times so from the house into the garden and far reaching landscape became a harmonious transition. Pleached trees set within a low box hedge sets out the divide between the more formal spaces into the wilder, more informal parts of the garden. Topiary forms around the dining terrace provide structural evergreen interest all year round, a separate seating area on a shady courtyard allows for an escape from the heat of the day with a fire bowl for cooler evenings. A wildflower meadow sits beside a mown lawn as a clear contrast between areas. Woodland areas planted with bulbs, witch hazels and cow parsley which has self seeded to provide a mass of early season froth .Simple piles of logs stacked to encourage insects and support a wide range of wildlife, including moss, fungi and insects and other invertebrates, becoming a flourishing wildlife community. An enchanting garden for all seasons.

The Minimalist Garden

Royal Wells Estate -Tunbridge Wells

The client requested a low maintenance garden as he was downsizing into a new build home from a larger house with a big garden. A central seating area set in amongst billowing grasses and structural topiary , plants that would provide interest all year round with some seasonal changes. The need to to feel private and enclosed without feeling that the garden was small. The client wanted an extension of his living space to provide a focus from the house and to replace a conservatory he'd had at his last home. A relaxing space to sit in and enjoy a gin and tonic!

The design of this garden provides a seamless transition from house to garden

Country House

A stunning  Grade II listed country house with a steel and glass 21st century extension needed a garden that would harmonise the old with the new A garden designed with maximum impact using a muted palette of colours amongst topiary, lavendar hedges, ornamental grasses and large swathes of hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ as you approach the house from the long drive.

Urban Garden with a twist!

A tiny urban garden that needed the wow fact!

The clients wanted a space that reflected their style whilst encouraging greenery and wildlife into the garden set in the middle of the town. They have two very young children so space was intentionally left for them to be able to play and have various toys outside during the day, when evening descends the area can be swiftly changed into an entertaining space for evening soirees. The aim was to increase the downstairs living space by using the outdoor space, so when the doors are open the transition between the spaces merge into one.

The lighting was strung across the central seating area to provide a ‘pergola’ of lights increasing the usability of the garden. Within the design I repurposed as much of the existing hard landscaping as possible, updating the colours and soft furnishings made this possible. The mural for the large wall adds drama and playfulness to the garden whilst reflecting Tricyrtis Dark Beauty which is used within the planting scheme.

A garden for a family in London with entertaining at the heart of the design with enough lawn space left for the children to play.

Stepping into a serene and enchanting garden that transports you to a world of natural beauty and tranquility. At its heart stands a large timber pergola, serving as the garden's architectural centerpiece.

Under the timber pergola, the dining area and outdoor kitchen combine to create a space that caters to your culinary desires and fosters meaningful connections. It's a place where the simple pleasures of good food, good company, and the beauty of nature converge in perfect harmony.

The planting scheme is carefully curated to mimic the diversity and wild beauty of a natural ecosystem, while still maintaining an artful arrangement that draws you deeper into the garden. Dotted throughout the planting are clusters of shrubs and small trees, adding vertical interest.

In this garden, the patterned paving serves as a testament to human creativity and design, while the planting softens its edges, grounding it in the natural world. The combination of artful hardscape and living greenery creates a space that is both visually captivating and emotionally soothing, offering a haven where beauty and nature intertwine.