Garden in Washington

Place

The front garden is gently sloping and sunny with an open aspect.

The back garden is also gently sloping, having several structures which break it up into a series of slightly disconnected spaces.

The owner requires minimal intervention, making the most of existing features, and is willing to invest time and effort into the garden’s development, and some garden maintenance.

Brief

To pull these diverse elements together so that the different parts of the garden can flow coherently, maximising the space for different activities, including a productive garden. The client would like to retain the Arts and Crafts aesthetic of the house and neighbourhood whilst updating the different parts of the garden to provide contemporary and private spaces to grow food, relax and entertain in.

She also would like a phased plan so that she can budget accordingly.

the design

A concept plan is being developed which will make better use of the site’s orientation to create a series of interconnected garden rooms, resulting in a more cohesive design. The different spaces used different colour themes, which helped provide a framework for the client when she moves existing plants around, and when choosing new plants.

I worked with the client to come up with some quick wins that she can carry out immediately, and in advance of the full masterplan and construction work. The first phase will concentrate on the front garden with a planting plan, as no construction work is required here.

front garden

I designed the planting in the front garden to incorporate some existing planting, expanding the beds and adding further beds for a second phase. The placing of the beds took into account the existing short-cuts taken by visitors across the front lawn, and used a theme of jewel colours.

Testimonial

“Anna designed a plan for bed placement and a planting plan with my colour preferences in mind for the first phase. I can follow the designs at my own pace which works really well for me. Each stage of the design allows for the space to be completed and looks good before i move on to the next step. Anna has designed to maximize existing features while giving suggestions for small changes with big impact. I would never have been able to come up with these thoughtful ideas on my own! Very insightful and encouraging! I’m looking forward to the next phase!”

Ruth, Washington