Following a house renovation, this family was left with an uninspiring patch of mud and grass but we were able to help them achieve their dream garden.

The family had a ‘wish list’ of things they wanted to include in their garden; an entertainment area, a place to relax, and a fun space for the children to play in.

Their desire was for a large patio, swings, playhouse, sunken trampoline, water feature, outdoor kitchen, hammocks, shed, large lawn, irrigation, lighting and lots of plants!

Our job was to make their dreams come true, and provide all this in such a way that the space also seemed open and bright.

Read on for photos and full story…

The garden was initially only a rough grass area, so a perfect blank canvas and the ‘L’ shape had come about because of an extension built onto the side. 

We saw that by designing the garden at an angle to the house we could better use the space available. 

A diagonal patio was created in the space between the house and the extension, providing not only an entertainment area, but also clean and easy access to the extension. At the end of this area we created the outdoor kitchen. 

The outdoor kitchen is built slightly round the side of the extension, so smoke from the BBQ should not swirl around anyone sitting on the patio enjoying a drink, but it is close enough to allow everyone to chat, even the cook.

Opposite this, along one wall, we created a series of triangular spaces; the first features Douglas Fir arches for hanging hammocks on a sunny day, whilst providing year-round interest to the surrounding flower beds. 

Next to this is a space for the children’s playhouse, while another is home for the sunken trampoline. 

The final triangle has a similar wooden structure, this time built to incorporate a ‘falling raindrops’ water-feature, swings and to provide a focal point between the lawn and the tree-covered, shaded area at the end of the garden.

Each triangle is filled with a riot of coloured plants, shrubs and climbers to provide colour and perfume while still creating room in the middle for a lovely green lawn. 

The clever use of space meant the lawn was actually much bigger than it would have been had each area not been built on an angle.

The final requirement was for a garden shed which was placed beside the house on the wide passageway which connects the back garden to the front. As the passage was much wider than necessary, it is the perfect spot without sacrificing access. Decorative wooden panels were used to soften the transition from garden to path and serve to make the space feel private.

The family’s wish list was fulfilled, and better than they could have expected. The area is bright, interesting and filled with so many items you constantly notice something else you had missed the first time round. Yet, the space actually looks open and bright, not cluttered.

By grouping things together, we create pockets for each specific feature; kids play space, outdoor entertainment and so on.

The garden flows wonderfully and looks spectacular. The drab, uninteresting area that once was the family’s garden has been transformed into an oasis of tranquillity and fun. 

Here’s what the client had to say about the project.

“After doing our house up, we were left with a complete blank building site of a garden. It’s not a huge space but we wanted it to have a variety of sections but the main thing was for it to be a fun family garden.

When we met with Craig we both noticed right away his passion for his work and we choose him because he sounded genuinely excited about the prospect of doing our garden. We felt he really knew what he was doing and also understood what we wanted. I gave Craig a fairly long list of what we wanted to include in the garden and although the space is limited, Craig has managed to fit it all in without the garden feeling cramped.

The design process was great as we could see where things were going and could tweak things to make sure it was perfect. Seeing the garden as an aerial view was good for visualising the sizing of everything and the video walkthrough was a fun way to envision it more. 

Craig was very responsive to our emails, requests and suggestions and as a result, we have a garden which is perfect for us. I showed him some images of what we liked and he managed to come up with a great garden using that information and his expertise. He even created some bespoke paving for the patio which looks brilliant.  We feel like he took on our many requests and has given us exactly the garden we wanted. 

Craig and his team are honest, trustworthy, friendly and professional. They work really hard and have great attention to detail. The quality of their workmanship is fantastic.”

Kathleen