Large garden makeover in Tubney, Oxfordshire

The new owners of a lovely, detached house in the village of Tubney, near Abingdon in Oxfordshire wanted to refresh the grounds of their new property which looked tired and lacked interest. Our clients wanted to retain most of the current landscaping and to focus mainly on improving and adding to the existing planting. A stylish, low maintenance garden was key for them, with the design to be a mix of traditional and contemporary. Our planting plan featured recommendations for plants that matched our clients’ colour preferences of violet and white and which would also thrive in the garden and provide year-round interest. The garden design also included screening to conceal unsightly sheds and bins.

A new meadow area

The garden had an extensive lawn area, so to add interest we introduced meadow turf (long grass with wildflowers and bulbs) which replaced the patchy grass beneath the conifer trees. Most of our native wildflowers don’t bloom until late spring, so we also planted extra spring flowering bulbs to provide early colour, and much-needed pollen and nectar for insects. The bulbs were scattered to be naturalised amongst the grass and will look wonderful in drifts.

Planting scheme: adding interest and colour

The existing garden had a range of unkempt shrubs, as well as trees which needed to be pruned, relocated, or removed altogether. We improved the planting and introduced low maintenance, drought tolerant flowering plants that grow well in Oxfordshire soil. We are big fans of ornamental alliums at Artscape, and with their spectacular long-lasting, pompom heads atop tall, strong stems, they’re a perennial favourite flower at the Chelsea Flower Show. We also included camassias, also known as wild hyacinth, which produce tall spires of blue or white star-like flowers from April to June. Salvias (ornamental sage) flower for many months from midsummer until the first frosts and their nectar-rich blooms are a magnet for butterflies and bees. Stachys are easy to grow and the flower spikes in purple, pink or white, are also loved by insects.

Hard landscaping: new long-lasting pathway

New brick platforms were constructed to edge the original sandstone patio and steps which lead to a deck which contains a hot tub and spa. The dark Dutch clay pavers visually link the garden to the house which has a dark grey slate roof and grey aluminium windows. Dutch clay paving comes in many varieties and colours which gives garden designers and landscape architects like us the opportunity to achieve distinctive geometric patterns in paths and patios.

The new owners also wanted to make their outdoor space a dog-friendly environment. So, new features included dog-proof entrance gates, supplied by another company, which were designed to complement the grey timbers of the house. And new planting eliminated areas of bare soil to deter their family dog from digging.

Artscape’s professional designers, landscapers and horticultural specialists transform gardens across Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Buckinghamshire. Our garden design and build process is described here to give you an understanding of the different stages of a project.

If you’ve been inspired to refresh your garden with new plants or landscaping features, please get in touch with us at Artscape for an initial consultation.