The aspect of this garden, overlooking attractive open countryside, required a planting design that would fit in with the clients desire for rich planting and year-round interest, allowing the entertaining area to be immersed in the garden without impacting on the view.
The biggest challenge was the site as an open site, it was important that the planned planting be wind-resilient, and ensured areas around the house feel protected while sitting out on summer evenings, whilst the site history and very challenging soil conditions (the site used to be a brick works utilising the vein of exceptionally dense clay running through the land) meant conventional planting beds were not an effective solution.
The garden scheme is based on sweeping curves of CorTen Steel used as a planter system, elevating the planting and overcoming the drainage issues associated with the site, with the resulting beds enclosing the terrace area, providing screening from the wind without detracting from the view. The pallette of colours chosen, change in intensity from month to month and year-round interest is maintained with the use of trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses that provide form, structure and colour through each season.