The clients were looking for a series of garden spaces in which to entertain friends and a steadily growing family. The brief included the retention of existing swimming pool, tennis court and outbuildings, the style to be traditional with a contemporary edge.

The loss of a mature laurel boundary hedge due to a requirement to change levels and achieve the desired aesthetic took a leap of faith on the part of the owners, with the design for the upper terrace including a semi-mature Davidia involucrata and two sentinel rows of stilt holm oak to regain privacy from the neighbouring property and give the scheme the ‘wow’ factor. A superb David Harber armillary sphere set on a Portland stone plinth completes the design in this part of the garden.

Other features include a new terrace and gazebo overlooking the tennis court, a terrace for the swimming pool, rose walk pergola, paths, raised beds and planting design.

Size: 1,000 - 1,500 m2

Budget: £150K - 200K including hard landscape, lawn, plants, gazebo, pergola, lighting and artefacts