Most of us live in very ordinary houses often on housing
estates among many other properties that look exactly the same. It is expensive and highly disruptive and
often not possible to change an ordinary house into something more
interesting. The one way to
differentiate your house from others around it and get more useable space is to
create a beautiful, unusual garden.
This is exactly what I set out to do with the garden at a
property on a typical housing estate in one of the older parts of Bracknell,
Berkshire.
The houses are not inspiring
architecturally, but are well built and have good internal proportions.
The garden has been used mainly for growing
vegetables as an overflow from its owner’s allotment.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire - Before
The brief was to have a smaller vegetable
area that looked more attractive and with raised beds to help ageing backs with
maintenance.
The rest of the garden
needed to have places to sit and eat that took account of morning and evening sun,
and provided screened storage for bins and garden equipment.
The clients particularly wanted a pretty
garden with more colour and seasonal interest.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire -Plan
The scheme includes a large dining and seating area by the
house with a circular area for a dining table that is linked to another,
smaller circular seating area via a pathway that curves through three wooden arches. The smaller circular seating area is is
partially covered by a wooden pergola.
It is in the shade during the day, but gets the evening sun. The curves and circles in the garden design give
the garden a natural flow and move users through the space providing a gentle
journey around the garden. The paving
will be blue-grey granite with an edging of black granite setts.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire - 3-D View
Along one boundary there are three raised vegetable
beds. These will be constructed from Oak
railway sleepers set on end with a wide Oak plank set across the top so that
each raised bed also functions as an informal bench seat.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire - 3-D View
The bottom of the garden has been dedicated to storage. The whole area is screened by the circular
pergola and a piece of slatted screening that closes off the view the house. There is a bespoke timber storage area to
accommodate three wheely bins. These can
be opened from the top so the bins can be filled easily and from the front so
they can be pulled out for emptying.
There is also a custom made timber storage cupboard for a wheelbarrow,
compost, pots and other garden equipment.
This also has a hinged top as well as a front opening door. This area will be paved with self-binding
gravel.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire - 3-D View
There is a curved lawn with a border for herbaceous plants
that will provide summer colour.
There
is a deep border by the boundary opposite the vegetable area that will be
planted with a mixture of shrubs and herbaceous plants that are shade tolerant
and will give interest throughout the seasons.
Garden Design, Bracknell, Berkshire - 3-D View
This scheme uses all the available space, design is unique
and will create an urban oasis for the clients that gives them an additional
outdoor room as well as providing a beautiful view from their house
windows.
It may also surprise people
walking through the gates of this very ordinary Bracknell house.
If you would like help designing your garden, please drop me an
email, or visit my
Web site
for telephone contact details.
You can also
see examples of my work on my
Facebook page and
Houzz profile.
