BEFORE
Heretfod's Master Plan
Hertford
Hertford is a large family house and garden on the border of parkland.
I was invited there, post-building work, to design a deck area outside some newly installed bi-folding glass doors.
However, I immediately felt that the whole garden needed a re-think:
- to create a more natural route to/from the front door
- to connect the garden with the parkland beyond it
- to connect the house to the garden
- to create richer, fuller planting
Challenges
The layout of the house and garden seemed at odds with each other. The front door was situated to the side of the house in the main garden. The side gate, by which to gain access to the front door, was halfway up the pavement.
The 'front' garden was a dead-end; north facing; an empty parking space which lay open to the street and anything that blew in. The outlook from inside the house was uninspiring.
The main garden was triangular in shape and sloped significantly upwards from the house to a large ugly wooden shed in the furthest corner (vulnerable to break ins). The garden was overshadowed by huge plane trees on the park side, which sapped water and nutrients from the soil and drowned the garden in leaves in autumn. The wooden fence along this boundary was broken/rotten. At only 5ft high it allowed views out into the park, but equally left the garden exposed to prying eyes.
On the opposite side of the garden was a lovely 7ft brick wall, however it didn't screen the neighbouring houses or street lights. And despite some interesting plants in the borders, the garden just generally felt rather exposed and lacked something...
Solution
Access from the street to the front door was re-routed via the front garden. The lovely old side gate was moved to a new position, it's old position bricked up and a mirror hung in the wall space.
New wooden gates were installed across the driveway and pedestrian entrances in the front garden and raised beds installed with lush evergreen planting to create a better view from both inside and outside the house.
In the main garden the old concrete paved path was replaced with a wide area of gravel and sandstone "stepping stones'. The new outline of the space reflects the angles of the house. This area now serves a dual purpose as both path and area from which to admire the garden.
Instead of the raised deck the clients originally thought they wanted, I installed a sunken sandstone patio with broad steps down from the bi-fold doors. By being sunken it felt more private. I also installed a raised bed and bespoke pergola, attached to the house on one corner to form an arch way, which further defined and separated the patio space from the front door area.
The lawn was re-shaped and it's gradient reduced, the level change absorbed by new planting beds. Bringing the planting closer to the house helps connect the house to the garden and the planting softens and fills this previously empty space. The original borders further up the garden were enlarged, the planting restructured and new planting added as required.
The fence on park boundary was replaced with a new 5ft feather edge fence but with a further 1ft of lateral trellis on top. Every 2 panels there is a full length 'lateral trellis window' allowing light and wind to filter through and connect the garden to the parkland.
A small arbor seat is installed against the opposite wall from where one can sit to enjoy views across the park.
A brick storage shed complete with electricity, water and secure locks was built into the upper corner of the triangle, incorporating the existing garden wall to helped maximize space.
Spotlights were installed to light the entrance route and garden steps, and to highlight a few specimen plants in the borders.
Irrigation was also installed to counter balance drying winds and the water up take by park trees.