Finishing Touches

When designing gardens, I always have a picture in my mind of what the final garden will look like more or less, and I always hope that the client shares the same vision. Then John and the team do all the hard and skilled work – building retaining walls, laying patios, raised beds, installing water features, laying new lawns etc, after which Jim (our senior soft landscaper) and I follow on with the planting design and planting. And Stuart, our electrician colleague may install lighting. And that’s it, we have finished a lovely garden for the client.

Only the garden isn’t quite finished…

I have returned to several gardens we have recently completed over the last couple of weeks, and been completely wowed by the finishing touches and detail that the clients themselves have organised. It has been hugely rewarding to see clients enthusing so much over their new gardens that they have made such an effort, and it also shows that the selection of furniture, accessories, features etc can turn a beautiful garden into one that would happily adorn any glossy magazine.

We returned to plant a few more plants in this garden in Twyford, and loved the furniture and the way the clients are using their new space. (Sadly, Jim hadn’t yet swept up or tidied away the compost when these pictures were taken!)

And I got a real tingle when I walked up the ramp and saw how the client had brought this little space to life in Whitchurch. Just adore those blue cushions!

The wall clock above the floating bench here provides a useful focal point at the end of a winding path, while this beautiful terracotta chiminea perfectly compliments the grey paving and stainless steel water feature / planters.

More to come…

And watch this space for details of a new feature garden in Binfield soon to be uploaded onto our website, where the clients’ choice and location of furniture helped to turn a small and awkwardly shaped space into a magical and intimate series of inviting alcoves, all surrounded by lush greenery…

It just goes to show that us designers can’t take all the credit – even though we would like to!