Site Specifics
For this award-winning garden project, we visited a Grade II listed period property which had originally been a farmhouse, complete with cowsheds and barns. The main area of concern for the garden was the overgrown and neglected orchard at the bottom of the landscape.
The majority of the garden was a cobbled courtyard, meaning soil levels were thin and the drainage was poor.
4D Garden Design had been chosen to deliver a complete fresh start to the space and create a landscape our clients would love. This garden renovation was impressive and ended up being an award-winning garden for our team, due to the quality of work completed.
Client Brief
Our client requested an ultra-modern garden design for this landscape, which would be challenging considering the Grade II listed nature of the building. Surrounded by the Cotswold countryside, this was a beautiful traditional property, but our client wanted something modern for their outdoor space. They required a socialising and entertaining space, while also ensuring year-round interest through planting.
A unique part of this project was the specialised features desired by our client. They owned a steel fabrication company and were keen to use steel within the garden to exhibit their company’s capabilities.
Design Solution
The main feature of this award-winning garden was the one remaining barn wall dating back to the 17th century. Although unprotected, we wanted to make a feature of the wall and bring it into the garden design. We created an inviting raised walkway along the wall leading from the main garden to the orchard.
Contemporary elements were added using gabion baskets using pillars of the walkway. The baskets were filled with local walling stone to tie in with the barn wall and ensure a cohesive appearance to the space. Oversized chunky timbers formed the top of the walkway and complemented the traditional appeal of the property.
Modern black Kotah limestone was used for the paving areas and wall copings to give that contemporary feel to the space while also ensuring cohesive design and longevity.
Throughout this project, it was imperative to reduce the amount of waste to be removed due to the remote location of the property, as this would have been an expensive exercise. To do this, all soil was kept on site and used to create a “fairy glen”- a raised circular bund that navigated through the old orchard. The fairy glen was seeded with wildflowers, and the top of the fairy ring allowed the clients to access the trees for fruit picking.
A traditional herbaceous border was planted in front of the walkway to soften the gabion pillars and walkway. To support ongoing garden maintenance, a pop-up irrigation system was installed in the lawn to facilitate irrigation of the planting and lawn areas. To continue with the magical theme, a wildlife pond was installed at the bottom of the garden with a rustic timber platform.
The clients had family in Ireland who lived near the Giant’s Causeway. This formed the inspiration for their bespoke water feature within the courtyard. Granite setts were used to mimic the Giant’s Causeway, and these were set at different heights to give a rustic, natural appearance. The main patio area is a sun trap on hot days, so we installed a mist jet system around the edge of the water feature to create a cooling vapour cloud in this specific area. Both the mist jets and the irrigation system can be controlled by a remote app, aligning with the modern desires of our client and making the garden customisable for the setting and weather.
4th Dimension
The finished result of this garden was so impressive that it was deemed to have the potential to win an award. The client was happy for it to be submitted to the British Association of Landscape Industry Awards, where it fought off stiff competition from the world’s leading garden designers to scoop first place in the domestic category for gardens up to £150,000.
This is an incredible, award-winning garden for our team and an amazing example of the high quality of work we can provide across the region.
