Site Specifics
This garden design project was for a large new build property in an open rural location with an extensive rear garden. Built on the former site of an old garden centre, first impressions were misleading as it would transpire that the garden area had been filled with all manner of rubbish, rubble and waste from the demolition of the garden centre.
We needed to overcome the challenge of decontaminating the ground, managing the soil levels and improving the soil quality and drainage to allow for the soft landscaping to thrive. The garden was an unfinished building site, the only overpowering feature being a large telegraph pole.
Client Brief
Our client was a keen novice gardener with a young family, and wanted a garden where he could grow fruit and vegetables with his children. He was happy to maintain lawns and borders and was hoping one day to have their own chickens.
Design Solution
The size of the garden meant we needed to balance hard and soft landscaping. Too much hard landscaping would result in a very expensive garden. Therefore, from the outset, it was essential to include plenty of lawn to transform the space within the budget. The garden was divided into zones with the use of retaining walls and material changes.
Large raised veg plots were filled with well-rotted manure to provide the family with years of happy harvesting. The garden housed several large land drains installed to cope with rising groundwater. Three chunky archways provided the entrance to the upper tier of the garden from the main lower patio.
All lawns were laid perfectly level and edged with sleepers or block paving to assist with mowing. The borders were conditioned with compost and planted with a mixture of grasses, herbaceous perennials, shrubs, ground cover, ornamental trees and fruit trees. The vegetable plot area was surfaced using self-binding aggregate. This is a cost-effective solution and provides a more rural feel to what is quite a geometric modern garden in a rural setting.
All boundary fences were painted black to provide a backdrop for the planting and to enhance the feeling of depth within the garden.
4th Dimension
The client is successfully maintaining the garden. The veg plots are up and running, and they have achieved their goal of now owning several chickens that live happily on the top lawn in a state of the art chicken coop. The client has since sought advice from us regarding the best machinery and equipment to maintain the garden. In response to Ian’s advice, the client said, “Every day is a learning day with 4D!”
