Contempary elegance

The Vision

For this project, our clients sought to create a tranquil and stylish retreat from their demanding professional lives—a garden sanctuary where they could unwind in peace and enjoy quality time outdoors. The space needed to be contemporary, cohesive, and low maintenance, with an emphasis on lush planting, clean architectural lines, and a refined palette of materials and colours.

Working with a garden that featured a series of level changes, the design made the most of natural sight lines and framed views. A soft, modern colour scheme—with subtle accent tones—was paired with high-quality materials and geometric structure to deliver an elegant, timeless finish. The garden was designed for year-round enjoyment, with a variety of seating areas positioned to follow the sun throughout the day and support different uses—from quiet breakfasts to evening gatherings and outdoor dining.

The Layout

Three distinct seating zones were created:

• The Main Dining Area sits beneath a sleek aluminium pergola, surrounded by thoughtfully layered planting pockets that offer both privacy and visual interest.

• A Morning Terrace at the highest point of the garden provides the perfect spot to enjoy breakfast in the morning sun while taking in panoramic views across the space.

• A Shaded Fire Pit Area offers relaxed, comfortable seating and informal planting for peaceful evenings or cosy socialising.

Throughout the garden, a consistent palette of grey and earthy tones ties the space to the architectural language of the home. Sandstone paving was selected for patios, pathways, and plank-style transitions, while Corten steel was used for the terraced retaining walls, feature water elements, and bespoke slatted fencing that also screens utility areas with style.

The Details

A custom-designed contemporary water feature adds gentle movement and a sense of tranquillity, blending stone and Corten steel in harmony with the rest of the scheme.

Planting was carefully selected for form, texture, and year-round appeal—crucially, all plants were chosen for their resilience in clay soils and tolerance to both wet winters and dry summer conditions. Key evergreen structure is provided by Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’, used as clipped hedging and sculptural cubes throughout the space. Ornamental grasses like Hakonechloa macra and long-season perennials such as Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’ bring texture and movement.

Spring and summer colour comes from graceful flowering bulbs and herbaceous plants including Leucojum vernum, Camassia leichtlinii Caerulea Group, and Veronicastrum virginicum 'Album', while seasonal drama continues into autumn and winter with architectural trees and shrubs like Viburnum × bodnantense 'Dawn', Amelanchier lamarckii, and Molinia caerulea ‘Poul Peterson’.

To soften boundaries and height transitions, multi-stem and standard trees were strategically placed throughout, ensuring privacy and cohesion. A matrix-style planting scheme—featuring ferns such as Dryopteris filix-mas alongside ornamental grasses and perennials—provides a modern, naturalistic feel that requires only minimal annual maintenance. In summer, statement pots of Agapanthus line the house wall, adding bold, sculptural accents.