Posts Tagged ‘Garden plans’

Small gardens are often more challenging to design because generally people want to fit in the same list of things they’d want if their garden was half an acre.

When space is tight and restricted you’ll find it much easier to use a geometric layout as the shapes work so much more easily together and generally sit within the confines of the boundaries in a much more comfortable way.

It’s also easier to link squares and rectangles whilst leaving enough space for planting.

Circles are trickier beasts, preferring not to be connected to other shapes.  There are ways to link them together, but generally you need a bit of space to allow them to work together harmoniously.

So what do you do if you prefer sweeping curves and don’t want to see the crisp edges of a square or rectangular terrace?

Using the planting to bring an air of informality to a space enables you to soften the sharp crisp edges and create space that is much more free flowing. Make a conscious decision to allow the planting to spill over onto the paving and the curves and fuzzy edges will occur naturally.

This can work really well on pathways too where you’d much prefer to see an informal walkway rather than a long and straight path. The only consideration if you’re going this route is to allow a bit more width for the pathway so that when the plants do spill over, you’re still able to walk along it without stepping on the plants.

Lawns are slightly different as letting the plants spill over will just end up in dead patches of grass, but if you choose soft foliage and informal planting then it will have a less formal feel to it. Circular lawns can work of course, but in small spaces the curve is very tight and this makes mowing more than a bit challenging.

(Images: Lisa Cox)

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 have recently started working with a new client in East Horsley.  She brought the house at the end of last year and work is about to start to renovate it. Read more

I have recently started working with a client in Woking who have recently turned an old guesthouse back into a home.  As part of the building project, they carried out some work in the garden but have since realised that it doesn’t feel right and they need help to bring it to life. Read more

I spoke with one of my landscapers this afternoon because I’ve just sent over the drawings for my project near Muswell Hill.  He can’t get started on his quote until next week because he’s working on a tender for a large job in London and this will take him the majority of the week to pull together. Read more