The Original Garden
I was approached by a couple who had moved into their new home in Bridlington. Their front garden was a ‘blank canvas’ having had all the planting removed and taken back to bare soil. They expressed a wish to have a slightly wider driveway as well as making the garden a feature when looking both from the house and from the road.
The Redesign
The couple wanted a garden incorporating some ‘kerb appeal’, a small seating area and some easily maintained planting beds. They chose to go with a Japanese inspired design which incorporated a small triangular deck placed in the awkwardly shaped corner of the garden, gravel and stone flooring and some raised beds constructed from wooden sleeper kits. The plain wooden fence was batonned with black decorative composite screens to create some vertical interest in the garden. The design also included a water feature, a stepping stone pathway and a dry river bed made out of stones and cobbles of varying sizes to create the effect of running water.
Suitable Planting
A Full Planting Plan and aftercare instructions were provided. All plants chosen were suitable for the aspect of the garden and the conditions in which they were going to be grown. They were also in keeping with the Japanese theme of the garden.
Progress so far …..
The design was completed going into winter 2022 and the customers were keen to get on with building the garden which they were largely going to complete themselves. The driveway has been widened by moving the wall and pier slightly to the left giving further space for parking. The small triangular deck was built followed by the gravel flooring and sleeper beds. The couple decided to amend the design slightly by changing the positioning of the sleeper beds but on the whole it largely remains the same. Thankfully they have kept sending me pictures and I hope to visit soon to see the planting in full bloom. Watch this space!
Update on planting 2024
I recently visited this garden and the lovely customers. They have done a sterling job in planting up the garden and it has certainly flourished and is looking great. here are some pictures from my recent visit in April 2024.