Garden Design Portfolio & Projects

Back Garden Redesign

your local area · Residential

Brief: A long, narrow plot behind a Victorian terrace that felt closed-in and was mostly unusable — no defined spaces, poor drainage, and nothing to look at.
Approach: We broke the length into three connected zones — a paved seating area directly off the house, a planting-focused mid-section with raised beds to add structure, and a lawn area at the end with soft screening along the boundary. Drainage was resolved by grading the soil toward a soakaway before anything was planted.
Result: A garden that reads as three spaces but flows as one — and that drains properly for the first time.

your local area · Courtyard

Brief: A compact courtyard between two walls — the owners liked the space but couldn't get anything to grow well.
Approach: The issue was soil quality as much as light. We improved the beds with organic matter and selected a palette of shade-tolerant plants — ferns, hostas, and climbing hydrangea — chosen to thrive in the conditions rather than struggle against them. A small water feature added sound and movement.
Result: A courtyard that's green and textured through most of the year and genuinely pleasant to sit in.

your local area · Residential

Brief: A medium-sized suburban garden with two young children — the owners needed a lawn that held up to use, somewhere to sit, and planting their children wouldn't trample.
Approach: We laid out a robust lawn area in the centre with a proper compacted base to handle foot traffic. Planting beds run along the boundaries, kept back from the central play area. A paved terrace adjacent to the house handles outdoor dining without competing with the lawn.
Result: A garden that works for the family now and has room to evolve as the children get older.

your local area · Planting

Brief: A planting-dense border showing design skill — layered, naturalistic, and structured across the seasons.
Approach: Generous, naturalistic planting with clear layer structure: tall Verbena bonariensis and Achillea at the back, mid-height roses, Salvia, and Penstemon in the middle, and low Alchemilla mollis and Geranium at the front edge. Rich colour but a restrained palette.
Result: A border that reads as expert and considered — seasonal interest from spring through to autumn.

your local area · Residential

Brief: A bare concrete frontage with no planting. The owners wanted something low-maintenance that improved the look of the house without requiring weekly attention.
Approach: We replaced the central section of paving with a gravel bed planted with drought-tolerant species suited to the south-facing aspect and low rainfall. The retained paving was edged and cleaned up. A small hedge along the boundary provides structure without blocking light.
Result: A front garden that looks considered from the street and needs minimal upkeep through the season.

your local area · Lawn

Brief: A front and back lawn with persistent moss, bare patches, and waterlogged sections after rain.
Approach: We scarified both areas, addressed the drainage on the waterlogged section with a simple French drain, and overseeded with a mixture suited to the soil and shade levels. The improvement schedule ran across two growing seasons.
Result: Two lawns that are now consistently green and hold up through wet winters without the standing water that was there before.

your local area · Residential

Brief: A new-build house with a blank plot — builders' rubble just below the topsoil, no structure, nothing to work with.
Approach: We started from scratch with a full yard plan, clearing and preparing the soil before any design work went in. The design incorporated a lawn, a seating terrace, boundary planting for privacy, and raised vegetable beds at the owner's request. Everything was laid out with drainage in mind from the start.
Result: A garden that looks like it belongs to the house and gives the owners everything they asked for — outdoor dining, growing space, and a lawn their dog can use.

your local area · Design

Brief: A sloping garden that needed level changes managed through retaining walls, with planting integrated throughout.
Approach: Two or three level changes managed through dry-stone retaining walls, with steps in pale natural stone connecting each level. Each terrace has a different use — the lowest is lawn, the middle is a gravel seating area, the upper is a planted raised bed.
Result: Clean geometry and confident proportions that communicate professional design — and a space that makes the most of the slope.

your local area · Planting

Brief: A garden designed to show year-round interest — particularly strong seasonal planting through autumn and winter.
Approach: Clipped evergreen hedges and box topiary provide framework, ornamental grasses in amber and copper remain standing through autumn, Verbena bonariensis seed heads catch the backlight, and Sedum flower heads turn to a warm russet. The lawn retains a rich, deep, mature tone.
Result: A garden that reads as intentionally beautiful in autumn — demonstrating careful year-round planning.