Modern Manor House Garden Sandwich
Brief
This new build Manor House was a blank canvas, dominated by an outbuilding and artificial putting green which required screening from the rest of the garden. A patio and sunken firepit had already been built but the area needed some softening. With a modern extension about to be built the clients asked for a new entertaining area which created a great view from inside the house, was screened from the neighbours and sheltered from the strong winds.
Solution
An evergreen hedge was used to screen the putting green from the rest of the garden as well as the low boundary fence to the side of the house giving year round greenery and a real sense of enclosure to the new seating area where three beautiful statement pots from Torc Pots are set in front of textured wall panels.e A lightly textured grey porcelain was chosen for the new patio and to replace the riven sandstone to create a scheme which ties the old and new styles of the house together and gives a high end finish.
A series of square, formal lawns form the main area of the garden to mirror the straight lines of the house, with a series of curving paths leading away from the lawn to create different areas and destinations. The existing raised planters and sunken firepit were reclad in stone to replace the render which was already failing in places. A dark colour was chosen so the hard elements would recede and became a background to the planting.
The client asked for simple planting with texture and form for impact rather than lots of bright, high maintenance flower colour. Their existing Olive trees were used to create more enclosure around the patio and a series of multi stem Ornamental Pear trees were placed around the lawn for spring blossom and autumn leaf colour. Uplighters on the trees and pots extend the interest into the evening as well as from Summer to Winter. Classic evergreen balls, low formal hedging and shrubs chosen for leaf colour and shape were softened with varioius grasses and some perennial groundcover plants for just a smattering of colour. Taps and irrigation were installed around the garden, an important consideration for the establishment of the plants in such a large area open to drying winds.
Paving – Florence Grey Porcelain from London Stone.
Built by Tattersall Landscapes. Planted by Claire Moreno Garden Design.
