Garden Introduction
This Amersham garden was designed to solve a number of problems the client had with the existing landscaping. An awkward space, uneven and enclosed garden that needed a sensible garden design.
Garden design brief
“No plants please – we have dogs” I held my head in my hand. We would like to BBQ all year around, a party space, a lounge… but no plants. Maybe some lighting and essentially places to sit and can you make the space as big as possible please”.
Interpretation
I needed to get plants in the garden, without planting it would be a difficult space to call a garden. I thought planters… this would elevate the plants away from the dogs. The garden has a small porcelain terrace already and we had to work with that. We didn’t have an endless budget so materials had to be well thought out. My thoughts on maximising the usable space in this brief would be to remove the side fence and extend the garden into a wrap-around into the side garden… in fact, the side garden could now be a courtyard…
Garden Inspiration
We removed the side fence and gate to make space for the covered BBQ and Bar area that extends past the side of the house into the side garden. This allowed a much better use of space, gave the client the all-year-around BBQ area and made the garden much bigger.
Solving problems in a garden
Dogs and plants, this is not normally an issue… In this garden, we have two very lively Boxers. With these two restless canine lunatics bounding anywhere and everywhere planting was going to be impossible. We assumed that by having 600mm high planters we would be safe… oh dear, how wrong were we. The plants lasted about 5 minutes and we had to create a solution. instead of caging the dogs IN we did the opposite, we caged them OUT In order to form a mini prison for the plants, we used Chiswick iron railings. It worked, Dogs out, plants in…
Professional landscaping
An open decking terrace in Trex® Clamshell, this worked well with the colour of the doors and existing paving. Raised areas using large sections of treated timber, occasional boulders, gravel and simple lighting. A wraparound path, raised decking platform with a roof to allow all weather use. planters with cages to make them dog proof… 2 weeks for 6 professional landscapers and in time for Christmas. The weather was cold, the deadline was a tight one and at 15:00 on Christmas eve the project was complete.
Suppliers
Thank you to Country Supplies for the majority of materials and super-efficient deliveries, lovely stone from CED and the ironwork from a local chap who wishes to remain anonymous.
Follow Karl Harrison Landscapes Ltd to get all the latest project updates and of course behind the scenes!
