Think big

 

Richmond: north-west facing, plenty of sun.

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This spacious garden offered plenty of scope for improvement. Lots of room but none of it really useful. There was a small patio by the house, encroached upon by extensions and two sets of steps, then acres of lawn leading to a bald, dry zone underneath conifers.

We took the bold step of extending the patio with 50 square meters of hardwood deck. A large area but the garden now looks bigger, because the proportions work, with lots of space for entertaining and more than one place to sit.

Covering the first step of the old stone patio, allowed the join between the two materials to be flush. A slim, steel drain channel sits in between, practical and decorative. 

Our client was keen to be able to garden herself and to have planting that looks quite established, with room to grow. We created nice deep borders and a good selection of plants.

The bone-dry patch at the back was dressed with bark, as little will grow there. This gives a nice dark backdrop for the semi-shade planting area and the gorgeous Cercis canadensis placed in front. We also created a lovely wildlife pond, which was populated by dragonflies within days.