Elegant contemporary family garden in Berkshire
This elegant contemporary family garden in Berkshire makes a serious style statement, showing that gardens can be both child-friendly and elegant.
The project utilised all Artscape’s garden design, hard landscaping and planting skills to create a garden with different activity areas, yet one that still looks well-balanced and sophisticated.
Our client wanted three main different functional zones in the garden: an outdoor dining terrace close to the kitchen, a generous lawn and play area and a sunny patio by the existing summerhouse. Additional practical features included a herb garden, a concealed storage shed, a seated boot area by the outside door for taking off outdoor shoes; and lighting throughout the garden. Screening for privacy was an important part of the brief too.
Hard landscaping is a key part of this garden design, with materials chosen for their modern aesthetic.
Stunning dining terrace in natural stone
The main terrace is built on the same level as the internal floor of the house, and creates continuity between the interior and exterior spaces. The Artscape landscaping team constructed the terrace in basalt. One of the densest stones on earth, this exquisite stone comes from the same igneous rock family as granite. The black basalt we used here is Vulcan Flamed Basalt from Mandarin, which looks amazing wet or dry. Flaming gives the stone a slightly pitted texture and, most importantly, a non-slip surface.
We also built a smaller decked patio area by the summerhouse. This is a delightful spot which is warmed by the morning sun, and the location provides a lovely view back to the house.
Low maintenance planting for privacy and colour
The planting scheme was designed to add colour, interest and privacy to the garden, and also soften the edges of the hard landscaping. We planted instant tall hedging to screen the shed and conceal the overlooking neighbouring property from view. We also created a herb garden close to the kitchen for quick and easy picking. The garden’s bold borders feature perennials chosen to create excitement and to suit the garden’s soil type. The two key plants were Verbena bonariensis, a tall plant with purple flowers and a shimmering movement, and Rudbeckia, with its striking large orange flowers.
