Posts Tagged ‘Concept Design’

I’ve recently been working with a couple near Cardiff who live in a Grade II list barn near Cardiff.  They’ve lived in the house for years but, having recently renovated the inside, now want to make the garden at the back of the house much more inviting and inspiring.

It’s a challenging site in that it faces north and only gets snippets of sunshine throughout the day.  There’s also a large bank of soil taking up most of the space and because the only access for construction is through the garage, it will make the clearance and construction work a rather labour-intensive procedure.

Added to this is the issue of drainage which currently consists of a slot drain which runs the length of the garden, in the middle, and is directed to a drainage system that runs under the garage.  It works well now so we have to ensure that any new drainage works just as well.

My vision is that the new drainage will be part of the design aesthetic, rather than just a functional element.  There are some lovely decorative covers available so this should be very easy to achieve.

The conceptual design for the new garden is very much inspired by their frequent visits to Italy.  They love the cobbled streets and secret courtyard gardens of Rome and want to bring an element of this to their own garden.

The plot itself is long and thin and it can be tricky with a garden of this shape to make it enticing when you look out from inside.  Because it’s a barn conversion, there are many viewpoints from inside so we decided that dividing the space into a series of “rooms” would help to make it interesting from all angles.

One of the key views is from the hallway as there is a large full height window that is the main focal point when you come through the front door. I’d love for them to feel connected to the garden form the moment they step into the house.

The axonometric sketches hopefully give you a flavour of how the garden will look and feel.  These were based on an earlier version of the conceptual design so some of he detail is different, but the essence of the design hasn’t changed.

Taking away the bank of soil will obviously create a much more usable space, but it will also require quite a significant amount of construction in the form of retaining walls.  We plan to use a mix of render and stone to give the space a bit more light, whilst also linking it back to the age and history of the barn itself.

With any garden it’s so important that each part of it has a reason for being.  But this is even more important in small spaces because, generally speaking, you can see it all in one go.

The water rill will help to connect the areas together whilst also providing interest within each zone.

My aim with this garden is to bring interest to every corner of the garden so that every square inch is utilised.

I’m so looking forward to seeing this built – it’s going to completely transform the garden!

I’ve recently been working with a client, Rhys, near Port Talbot who, having renovated his house, wants to make more of the garden. He plans to build the garden himself, as and when he has the funds to do it, but he had been struggling to formulate a plan. Read more

I have recently been working with a client near Camberley who has a very challenging garden. She contacted me a few months ago with some pictures of the site and it became clear very quickly why she didn’t really know what to do. Read more

I’ve recently been working with a family in Hurley who are keen to make more of their large garden.  Although it’s relatively flat, it’s a little tricky because the house is positioned over to one side of the plot and is at an awkward angle. Read more

I’ve recently been working with a client in Milan who wanted some help to transform her small and tricky courtyard garden.  To add to the challenges of the site, she lives in a conservation area and this means that she’s not allowed to construct anything that will involve excavation or concrete. Read more

I have recently been working with a couple in Elstree in Hertfordshire who are trying to make more of their garden and wanted some help to get started. Read more

I’ve recently been working with a client in Epsom Downs who wanted to design a potager area at the bottom of the garden to accommodate her new greenhouse, existing summerhouse and also to create an attractive space where they can sit and take in the evening sunshine. Read more

We went over to Twickenham at the weekend for a BBQ with some friends, Rob and Sarah.  2 years ago I helped them to create their garden so it was great to see how it’s filled out and matured since it was planted. Read more

I have recently been working with a client in Ashtead who is about to embark on a house renovation project.  They recognised that they also require a plan for the garden as the existing terrace has to be lifted to accommodate the new extension. Read more

I presented the concept design to a client in Walton-on-Thames last week and I am now working on the final drawings so that we can go out to tender for the build phase of the project. Read more