Bel was contacted by the owners of this barn conversion in February 2022, they were looking to connect the spaces around the property, which didn't really work for their needs and were disjointed. Rather than a blank canvas, Bel needed to rework the areas already in situ, whilst giving them a cohesive feel and updating the materials to tie in with the new extension. The existing landscaping was tired, basic and not of the best quality, so Bel addressed the awkward stairs to the courtyard, access to the rear of the house and Front Entrance , and the replacement of materials to give a high end look and feel to the garden.
In the Main Area, the existing dining / seating area was too small and didn't link to the property well. The raised beds in the gravel suited the clients as they were low maintenance, but they didn't sit well with the rest of the landscaping. So Bel redesigned the layout of the paving and raised beds so that they were more cohesive, less regimented and gave more space for entertaining. Privacy was key, so bespoke linear pergolas were added, giving a sense of enclosure to the dining / seating area. Limestone Pavers and Granite Sets replaced the worn block pavers, and Oak Raised Beds we installed in the Gravel Garden. The Beds were filled with simple blocks of evergreen Mediterranean inspired planting, including Lavender, Rosemary, Euphorbia and Nepeta.
In the Courtyard, the impractical slate mulch was removed and replaced with more generous Limestone paving, connecting the steps and front entrance with the access around the house. The paving was softened by inset planting beds and a Bespoke Water Feature from Pots and Pithoi, offered a gentle babbling sound of water and that all important Mediterranean look.
With the designs approved and one of Bel's preferred Landscapers lined up for the landscaping, work commenced in early Summer 2022, with Bel putting the finishing touches to the transformation with the planting, cared for by the newly installed Irrigation system.
The clients are very pleased with the results...
The clients are very pleased with the results...
We asked Bel to help us to bring all areas of our garden together following an extension to our house. We were reasonably happy with the original layout but felt that there was no ‘flow’ between the courtyard and planting areas to the rear. We also felt that the courtyard was very bland, needing a clever planting scheme. Bel came up with a design sympathetic to the rural surroundings and achieved our brief of pulling everything together through a clever use of materials and planting. We are not keen gardeners and Bel designed low-maintenance planting, including an irrigation system, raised oak beds and improved original features by adding wooden strip cladding. Bel planted our garden out in the heat of the summer 2022 and returned after planting to check that the irrigation system was working effectively. She has since been back to check on progress and give further invaluable advice on maintenance throughout the seasons. (On top of the detailed briefing notes she supplied) Bel is always extremely professional, quick to respond and genuinely cares that we are happy with the end result. I would not hesitate to recommend Bel.
Find out more about the Garden Design process....
Do you want to know how much it costs to transform a garden like this?
See Bel's articles in the Advice Hub which adviseson budgeting for your Garden Design or Planting Design project
See Bel's articles in the Advice Hub which adviseson budgeting for your Garden Design or Planting Design project