About This Project

This exciting design project was sparked by the bold re-modelling of the Clients’ property. Part of the Victorian house was being demolished to make way for a brand new, contemporary-styled annexe, with clean, crisp lines, modern cladding and an eco-friendly Sedum roof.

During the build, almost every trace of the existing garden was removed apart from the Clients’ beloved Koi pond – so I was able to start from a practically blank canvas.

The brief was to create a peaceful, private sanctuary, full of gorgeous planting, and with space for an outdoor Yoga deck with a hot tub for year-round use and a generous dining terrace for entertaining.

I designed the garden from the inside out, since with all of the glass frontage that was proposed, views of the garden would always form an integral part of the new living space. I took my lead from the zingy green tones that the Client had specified for her new kitchen, and extended that out into the garden, with a fresh green lawn and bright green foliage in the planting and trees.

Plenty of evergreen shrubs were included, to give year-round presence, and I included many long-flowering perennials to really extend the flowering season. Around the deck area in particular, I made use of a number of plants with gorgeous perfume (Viburnums, Magnolia, Honeysuckle), to really enhance the enveloping sense of being surrounded by planting when taking a dip in the hot tub.

Images courtesy of Askew Cavanna Architects