Portfolio Category: Main Projects

Our clients were new to the area, having moved back after many happy years living in Jersey with a real desire to make their new place feel home from home. They called us in to begin work re-designing the garden even before they had completed on the house sale, such was the priority of getting the garden fit for purpose.

This was a huge plot of a couple of acres. Being a recently completed development the site was essentially builders rubble but with an extremely challenging gradient to boot. The concept was to create level terracing for the lower half of the plot by literally carving out the hillside and retaining with the same gorgeous limestone that the property had been constructed with. There would be some unique features too. Our client was very much a fan of reclaimed granite kerbs so they were used for the sweeping stepping stone path across the lawn and would also be the material we fashioned the steps from. Throw in a beautiful millboard deck and a cute little floating bench and voila, a little slice of heaven on an unforgiving hillside!

With so much housing springing up in Northamptonshire we are often called into new build estates with clients at a loss as to how to create a unique garden when surrounded by so much uniformity. How to escape the confines of the overshadowing houses and carve out something softer, more welcoming? Often the answer is to introduce curves into the design and screening to soften the ubiquitous red brick walling of the adjacent buildings and garages.

For this Brackley estate garden the brief was exactly as described. We used the soft tones of golden fossil sandstone in a sweeping curved patio to link the garden office and the house, with a gently cascading water feature outside the work space.

A rendered raised bed combined with floating bench would flank one of the large brick walls, whilst a pergola offering height with a backdrop from laser cut composite screening panels would mask the other large expanse of brickwork. 

Some carefully chosen garden trees set up sentry positions in the borders with the promise of greater privacy and screening from the houses behind in the years to come

This garden was the final touch in the extensive renovation of a period property, transforming it into the client’s family home. As the CEO of a successful digital marketing company, his time was split between working from his newly built garden office and traveling for global speaking engagements.

The primary requirement was simple: a direct path from the house to the office, replacing the muddy lawn. However, the client also wanted to fully capitalize on the garden’s potential, surrounded by the historic 300+ year-old farmhouse and walls.

We took the client's basic layout concept and brought it to life, as the project evolved with new ideas. What started as a simple design quickly grew into an outdoor kitchen with a built-in fireplace, a curved seating area, and even a transparent dome! We also uncovered a historic millstone, which we creatively set vertically in a border and illuminated with a spotlight. As always, it was the carefully selected lighting and planting that truly brought the vision together, making this an imaginative and standout project.

Our clients had recently completed a large open-plan kitchen renovation, complete with bi-fold doors opening directly into the garden. They wanted a design that would seamlessly connect their indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Eager to maximize their outdoor area for cooking and dining, they envisioned a garden that extended the kitchen, with a built-in BBQ unit as a central feature. However, there were many other elements they wished to incorporate. The plot’s irregular shape was a challenge, so we used rendered raised beds to define and square off the main entertaining area. As avid gardeners, they also wanted space for growing and propagating plants, along with separate zones for sitting and play areas for their children.

To tie the spaces together, we extended the indoor design outdoors by using the same large-profile porcelain tiles for the garden floor. Composite screening panels were added to separate the utility area, while a pergola with a ‘living wall’ created a cosy sitting nook. Finally, a large feature tree added a striking focal point, completing the design.

This garden was designed to complement a recently completed barn conversion that beautifully blended old and new elements. The garden needed to reflect this harmonious mix of styles.

A striking 200-year-old brick wall ran the length of the garden, influencing the design. To match its colour and character, we used reclaimed brick for the path and walling, while contrasting it with the clean lines of a porcelain patio and cedar-clad fencing.

To make the most of the small courtyard space, we introduced a curved path—curves always create a sense of openness. The steps along the patio added to the feeling of space.

The borders burst with colour, featuring a multi-stem tree as the focal point, a gently cascading water feature in front of the garden office, and a mature olive tree craned into place on the patio. The result: a peaceful, enchanting oasis, enclosed from the outside world.

We were called to redesign a garden in Northampton for a couple who had lived there for over 40 years. While the garden had been well-loved and used, it no longer met their current needs. Our goal was to update the space while retaining its original features.

The focal point became a wildlife pond and stream, which we relocated further from the house. We carefully selected the shape and placement of each rock, blending weathered wood and thoughtful planting to create a natural wildlife haven in the heart of suburbia.

The pergola was redesigned as a covered space for year-round enjoyment, while a strategically placed raised bed provided privacy from an overlooking neighbour. Collaborating with Sam from Plantology, his plant choices perfectly complemented the design, creating a garden that will grow more beautiful with time.

2021 saw a new member added to the team. Jonny is a skilled joiner/general builder. With his skill set came the ability to extend what we do into property development and garden rooms into our designs. This project was to be our first one! 

Our client first approached us the previous year, and an initial discussion of design and layout reached the first draft. However, at this point, the client decided that they wanted to construct an orangery from which they could enjoy their new garden all year round. Plans went on hold whilst they sought quotes to build the new room, but because they had in mind a pretty bespoke structure, they found any quotes submitted to be quite expensive. That’s when Jonny stepped in and designed a room exactly to the spec they wanted and within budget. Adding the orangery into the overall garden design meant we then essentially flipped the design around so that the viewing point of the new room could focus on the primary features of the garden layout.

The result was one delighted customer and a rewarding step into a new field of expertise for us.

This was an exciting project! Our clients had recently purchased a large new build property and wanted a garden to reflect their lifestyle, maximising their outdoor space for socialising and entertaining.

The brief was to create a large outdoor kitchen (foodies!) with a bar and partially covered eating, relaxing zone.

We began with a mood board, exchanging ideas with the clients primarily over zoom (as we were in lockdown at the time)… Lush green foliage provides a tropical, holiday feel, uber-contemporary poured concrete for the structural features and even a gorgeous bespoke corten steel rain-wall water feature to go in - plans were afoot!

Once the job began, there were inevitable alterations and creative additions on the fly, for instance, the decision to go with vertical cedar slats (instead of horizontal) and use the same to partition the utility area of the garden.

Poured concrete for the kitchen & bar installations was an exciting learning curve for us but yielded fantastic results. The client was then keen to include additional benches from concrete piers and cedar seats in keeping with the overall design. The lighting spec also evolved naturally, with the client purchasing their own neon sign to add to the mix.

Perhaps the most challenging part of the project overall was getting our heads around creating the water feature. This corten steel ‘rain-wall’ idea had been a concept gleaned from Pinterest, but once the client had fallen in love with it, we had no option but to figure out how to make it! It became one of those occasions where it’s so important to have a great network in the trade, and with a bit of head-scratching from our steel fabricator friend and the pond guys next door to us who supplied the irrigation, we got there!