This large family home sits in an extensive plot beside a woodland setting near Leigh. Having recently renovated the house, the family wanted to transform the outside space into a zoned garden that reflects the style and taste of the interiors. The clients requested a seamless flow from from house to garden and woodland, incorporating everything from an orchard, an entertaining area, a play area, storage, a vegetable garden and a pool with adjacent pool house.
This country home garden design project was planned in stages to work with the clients’ budget and keep them in control of each stage. With ambitious plans to totally transform the flow of the driveway and garden and to incorporate the adjacent woodlands, we’ve devised a detailed plan for each phase. This way, the clients and the landscaping team know exactly what to expect.
The previous house extension meant the vista from the driveway did not show the house off to its full potential. We changed the gates and added a pair of well-shaped crab apple trees to redefine the perspective, highlighting the best features of the re-designed house. The trees also added spring blooms and striking autumn leaf colour, for interest throughout the year. The original garden was laid out in a traditional, rectangular ‘front-and-back’ format. Our design softened the boundaries and allowed the different areas of the garden areas to flow into one another, while screening the pool area from the driveway for privacy.
The house is surrounded by many existing mature trees and hedges that were retained in the design. These features allowed us to create strong axes or lines of focus in the garden, for example the long helenium walk that runs along the back of the house in the direction of the woods between mighty oaks, stretching and emphasising the space and magnificence of this country home. Take a look at our blog for an insight into how we achieve this.
With our flexible design solutions, the design outlined different budget options, so the clients knew exactly what each phase entailed and could prioritise their spend and anticipate expenditure. We take the materials and methods of construction into account in the design, in order to deliver a project in line with the agreed budget.
The ultimate holiday hut, we created a space to relax by the pool side, with option to have the doors wide open on a summer’s day, or with the log burner crackling away hunkered down on a cooler evening. We made the most of this space to fit in a shower room, and storage to the back for pool services, while providing a lounging area which converts into an office space – when a bit of pool side inspiration is required.
The exterior is locally sourced green oak, reflecting the oaks in the surrounding woodland, the interior makes use of larch to give a warm honey glow, topped off with an impressive vaulted ceiling and bespoke detailing.
Few properties have access to their own woodland however our design brought the woods into the garden, so both young and old could enjoy the nature on their doorstep. Layers of plants softened the edge between the two areas, with a diversity of plants introduced into the garden, from tall trees to shaded wild areas to more traditional garden plants. The result is a space that not only invites people to use it but encourages wildlife, too. We devised play areas for the children in which they could feel the woods were part of their play space. Also, an adult terrace for alfresco entertaining and vegetable beds where the owners could produce their own food. It was about crafting a glorious setting, reflecting the family’s life. The result is a seamless space, beautifully integrated into its natural landscape.
Hot, fiery border planting makes this a vibrant and fragrant walk from the new greenhouse, past the house and leads the eye out to the woodland beyond. A great deal of time was spent thinking through the seasonal interest in the garden, from evergreen structure, to a succession of spring, summer and autumn flowering and leaf colour. Creating two dramatic long boarders that draw you from the front of the house out to the pool house, and from the kitchen garden past the house and out into the woods.
