Contemporary Family Garden, Witham Essex
As featured on ITV's "Love your garden" with Alan Titchmarsh.
This garden was designed around the existing swimming pool, dividing the garden into different social areas. A third dimension was added into the garden by incorporating a sunken courtyard. This has a dining area and a relaxing lounge area. It's a real sun trap down there in mid-summer all the surrounding plants hide it from the remaining garden and it becomes a peaceful sanctuary. A rainwater harvesting tank was incorporated under the courtyard which is then fed into a fully automated irrigation system ensuring that this family maximise a natural water source...very environmental friendly.
As you exit the sunken courtyard you are led to a hardwood Iroko deck area, which follows the kidney shape pool. Fibre optic lighting is set into the deck with each of the families star signs. The lawn expands around the whole garden unifying the space with spectacular borders giving an all year round display.
Special bespoke features include a curved Iroko clad steel framed wall with a cantilevered seat. This has been designed to capture the sun and reflect into the hotbed planting. This allows rare plants to be grown in this bed due to the increased temperature provided by the wall. It's a perfect spot for a late Autumn glass of wine or an early Spring morning coffee. Bespoke A-frames have been designed to soften the 4m high hedges. Other bespoke features include Gabion cages that have been filled with rainbow cobbles for a unique abstract sculpture, placed on opposite sides of the garden to create balance. Additional bespoke steel features designed to look like free flowing flower stems flank the left and right hand side of the garden. The three by the pool are free standing and add another focal point. On the opposite side of the garden taller steel gabions have been designed in the same style with climbing plants such as Roses and Clematis for added height.
The Breeze hut with a Cedar shingle roof dominates the space at the end of the pool giving a subtropical feel. Ideal for entertaining on cool Summer nights.