Garden Design - A Contemporary Front Courtyard Garden in Surrey

This front garden at a rental property in Windlesham, Surrey was neglected and the letting agents suggested a makeover would help maintain its value on the rental market.  The rear garden is smaller and shadier than the front garden, so it made sense to make the front garden into a low-maintenance courtyard garden.  The challenge was to create a garden that gave the house more kerb appeal as well as giving tenants more outdoor space within a tight budget.

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - Before

 The Silver Birch was removed as it was too large, created shade and was too close to the house.  The lawn was excavated down to the paving level around the house.  Blockwork walls were used to retain the upper terrace.  The walls were rendered with K-Rend – a self-coloured render – in a mid-gey colour.  

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - After

The upper terrace has a self-binding gravel pathway with low-maintenance planting on either side.  Steps lead up from the lower level at either end of the path giving a journey around the garden.  The level changes and pathway make the space more interesting without adding to the maintenance. 

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - After

 

The lower terrace has a built in bench with a wooden seat top.  The paving is silver grey granite which in smooth and gives a flat surface perfect for a table and chairs.  

 

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - Before 

The driveway is retained with an Oak railway sleeper wall that curves around to enclose the lower terrace and create a raised planter.  This helps to give the terrace a greater sense of privacy and defines it as a garden space rather than as part of the front driveway.

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - After

 

The driveway was repaired and new sand brushed into the joints of the block paviours.  The fence was repaired and painted dark grey.

 Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - After

The garden is no longer dank and neglected. It is an inviting sunny space, enclosed and private where people will feel happy to spend time outside.  It also makes a smart entrance to the house and gives a good first impression when potential tenants visit. 

 

   Front Garden Design Windlesham, Surrey - After

 If you'd like me to design something that is perfect for your lifestyle and requirements please get in touch.  You will find all contact details as well as other examples of my work on my Web site.  You can see more of my work on my Facebook page.

Front Garden Bracknell, Berkshire

As autumn encloses us in it's chilly mists here's a nostalgic trip around my front garden in Bracknell, Berkshire.

All around me  people are understandably sacrificing their front gardens for parking, but I am holding fast to the sunniest spot on my plot to create a unapologetic burst of blowsy colour from late spring right into the early autumn.

I love this small Eryngium bourgatii 'Picos Amethyst' - it's the perfect edging plant in a sunny spot. I've planted it next to some soft Stachys byzantina and a gorgeous purple Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain' which flowers all summer long.

Another pretty combination is this Catananche cerulea which is also long flowering with this pale pink mallow Sidalcea 'Elsie Heugh'. The eagle eyed amongst you will spot Brunnera 'Jack Frost' a shade lover that exists fairly happily in full sun and provides a lovely silver foil for the taller plants.

 

The view from the front door shows the perennial borders, the central lavender border around a beautiful small tree Cercis chinensis 'Avondale' - a shrubby relative of the better known Cercis siliquastrum or Judas tree.  

Not all Euonymus are created equal. I inherited a couple of Euonymus japonicus with the garden and kept them but over time have clipped them into shapes - this gold variegated one is the perfect anchor for all the fluffier perennial plants.

Long flowering Knautia macedonia pops it's head through Verbascum  chaxii 'Album' and Veronicastrum 'Apollo' (just about to flower) - it's a gem of a plant flowering on long stems from early summer right through into the winter.

My perennial borders are stuffed with plants that jostle for space in this small front garden. I'm afraid it's a case of do what I say not do what I do in this case even though the result is gratifying.

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.