ESHER GARDEN DESIGN

Designer: Julian Sandell

ESHER GARDEN DESIGN, KT10 – Client Testimonial

P & A Ashbourne

Esher, London, KT10

“Searching for a contemporary garden designer, we found Abstract Landscapes on the Internet and were immediately impressed with what we saw on their excellent website.

Having met with Julian and established that he would be able to accept our project despite the inordinate daily commuting time he and his team would have to endure, we easily agreed on his design which incorporated all our preferences – natural stone flooring, no grass, water features, lighting, automatic irrigation … In short: An easy-care, secluded outdoor extension of our indoor living space which we could step into barefoot in summer and enjoy looking at from inside in winter.

With meticulous preparation, unrelenting precision and sheer hard work day after day in all weathers, Julian with his team translated his beguiling vision into sublime reality. The quality of his limestone tiling alone is quite breathtaking. An industry expert who walked into the garden after it was completed and said simply it was the best he’d ever seen. We couldn’t agree more!

In fact, we’re so happy with Julian’s quality of workmanship that he and his team are currently reworking our front garden and drive, too – and, yes, there’ll be some more great (but different) natural stone tiling, new hedges, new planter beds … Progress is so exciting, we’re really looking forward to seeing this second project completed soon, too.

Summer can’t come soon enough for us now. Thank you, Julian!”

Esher KT10 – Job Specification

• 135m2 of Cream Limestone Paving
• Two Reflection Ponds With Stainless Steel Water Blades
• Planting Beds & Planting
• Low Voltage Stainless Steel Lighting System
• Irrigation System

Esher London KT10 – The Garden Design

“Without doubt this amazing garden is the largest and most technically demanding project we have undertaken, but it has been the meeting of these challenges, which has ultimately reaped enormous rewards for both the clients and ourselves.” – Designer: Julian Sandell, Abstract Landscapes Ltd

The brief from this charming couple was to create a contemporary outside space that flowed from and extended their newly refurbished interior. They requested that the whole area should be paved, with the exception of planting beds and the garden design should include ponds with moving water and lights to illuminate the various features and plants. They also expressed a love of clean modern design, where form and structure were as of equal importance as practical considerations.

The existing garden comprised a perfectly flat lawn, surrounded on three sides with a mix of tall beech and laurel hedging and a few shrubs and small trees set in beds against the hedges, making a very private and seemingly blank canvass to work with. But in reality, the garden could not have been more awkwardly shaped; an asymmetrical trapezium, which was pinched through the middle, at nearly 200m2. A huge area, compared to a typical London garden with a square or rectangular footprint of about 25-40m2.

With the clients wishing to pave the majority of the area, it was quite clear that only a creative design and the employment of high quality materials would adequately cope with the demands of the geometry, so after measuring up it was off to the drawing board to find the solutions.

Once the basic dimensions had been sketched, it soon occurred to me that whilst unusually shaped, the garden was in fact far from awkward. It positively lent itself towards a more abstract, geometric design, which I hoped would both capture the imagination of the clients visually and fulfil their requests for an area close to the kitchen where they could have breakfast, a central area which would function as an outdoor lounge and a third raised area for entertaining and dining.

You can see from the floor plan detailed below, how the asymmetry of both the back of the building and the garden itself has been used to help define the individual views and spaces required by the clients. Whilst there are two pools and two planting beds that cut into the lower terrace providing a degree of traditional symmetry, they have all been offset by the same degree as the rear walls of the building, creating different spaces, alternating from the left and right as you move from the house across the garden and up towards the back of the upper terrace. The dimensions of all of the features, including the pools and central planting beds, have been defined by ratios of the paving units, making things particularly pleasing to the eye. Yet a clinical feel has been avoided due to the inherent diagonal nature of the left and right hand boundaries, which has been accentuated by the chosen laying pattern.

Click on the floor plan below.

However, this “slavish” adherence to the geometry comes at a price. All of the structures, most notably the upper terrace and cascade pools have to be perfectly square and parallel to the back of the building, with distances calculated in units of the paving stones, including pointing gaps, to the exact millimetre. Without this accuracy, paving slabs would have to be cut to fit the structure, at best destroying the beauty in the perfection of whole pieces of limestone and at worst looking glaringly wrong, and with the surface of the water being right up against the tiled faces there would be absolutely no hiding from any inaccuracy in the levels.

This meant a very meticulous and time consuming process was required, laying out the geometry of the garden prior to construction with string lines and pins, with constant readjustments being made throughout the process, particularly after the nightly raids and destruction of our string lines by the local fox population.

I explained to the clients that it was therefore essential to choose a precisely sawn stone, with an exact calibrated thickness, so that we could cover the risers of the steps and the vertical faces around the upper terrace from which the water flowed into the two pools. After some detailed research they chose a beautiful white/cream limestone with a lightly sandblasted surface, which provided a perfect extension and tonal match for their interior ceramic flooring. Whilst white or light coloured paving can be a bit of a nightmare to keep clean, particularly when children and pets have access to wet lawns, once the paving is correctly sealed it will just need a good hose down every couple of weeks to keep pristine.

To provide contrasts to the white paving and define the borders and shapes within the garden, black/purple slate chippings were used to cover the planting beds, which surround the paving. Black pebbles were also placed in the bottom of the pools to complete the effect. The pools are to remain completely free from aquatic plants, because their purpose is to function as both reflection pools mirroring the planting in the beds of the upper terrace and to provide a reservoir for the stainless steel water blades which cascade into them, giving aural texture to this delightful space.

In terms of planting, a fairly monochromatic approach has been employed to complement the hard landscaping. Apart from the evergreen architectural plants, which include tree ferns, Phormiums, fan palms and olive trees, only white flowering plants have been employed. The two planting beds in the upper terrace, which over look the reflection pools and frame the dining area, contain my favourite Zantedeschia lily “Crowborough”. The two beds that come into the side of the pools from the left and right hand boundaries of the garden are cram full with ‘Snow Queen” Iris’s. There are tall winter flowering Camellias in the beds at the rear of the upper terrace and these are mixed with summer-long flowering Magnolia Grandifloras. With evergreen jasmines climbing around the corner of the main building from the side return, essentially there are white flowers present more or less all year round. However, this is not a garden devoid of colour, with many different hues present in the foliage of the architecturals, particularly within the leaves of the Phormiums, containing as they do pinks, reds, blues, yellows and oranges, as well as a myriad of greens shared with the afore mentioned ferns, olives and palms. With the addition of a concealed irrigation system, a lush, low maintenance oasis has been created.

A low voltage lighting system, utilizing stainless steel units, beautifully illuminates the planting and geometry of the garden, which coupled with the clients black rattan dinning furniture, stainless steel breakfast furniture, bespoke benches and sculptural pieces, adds a sense of timeless style to perfectly complement this clean contemporary garden design.

Balham SW12 General Landscaping – Client Testimonial

J. Boatman

Balham, London, SW12

“We are really pleased with our ‘new’ garden. The workmanship was excellent, including great care taken over the selection of paving stones in order to harmonise with the rest of the garden. Full marks!”

Balham SW12 – Job Specification

• Spec: 4.5m2 of Riven, Fossil Buff Sandstone Paving & 18m2 of New Lawn.

Balham London SW12 – General Landscaping

Whilst this was not the biggest garden in the world, just two days work has revitalised what was a rather tired space. The old lawn was completely full of weeds and moss, as well as having a track worn around the outside as a result of the client tending her flowerbeds. The basic brief was to dig out the old lawn and replace it with a new one and also to install a pathway around the outside, which would allow access to the raised beds without damaging the new lawn, throughout the year regardless of weather conditions.

Both the garden and internal décor of this Victorian property were fairly traditional in their style so a Riven natural stone seemed like the most appropriate option for the new pathway. After looking at several options the client decided to go with fossil buff Indian sandstone. This stone as the name suggests often contains fossils of sea fans and invertebrates in the hand split faces of the stone, which provides a natural motif for the garden, whilst at the same time details the direct connection between living organisms and sedimentary rocks.

The paving was laid in a uniform size around the outside of the lawn on a compacted bed of hardcore, before being pointed with a mix of silver sand and Portland cement. The new lawn was then laid in the centre on fertilizer enriched topsoil. The inclusion of the fertilizer will reduce the time required before the turf beds in, and provide the necessary nutrients for growth until the turf has established new roots.

The result is both simple and elegant. The perimeter pathway both frames the new lawn and provides clean access to the planting beds even in the wettest conditions, whilst the clients bronze elfin sculpture looks out over the garden.

South Woodford E18 General Landscaping – Client Testimonial

S. Fiddler

South Woodford, London, E18

“Julian did a great job designing our patio and landscaping our garden. He demonstrated a really good knowledge of stones and paving techniques, he’s also a great communicator when advising which materials to use. Throughout the project both Julian and his team worked really conscientiously and delivered the project on time and within agreed budgets. We are really pleased with the results and would happily recommend him.”

South Woodford E18 – Job Specification

• 32m2 of Polished Ivory Sandstone Over Two Levels, New Lawn & Rendered Walls.

South Woodford London E18 – General Landscaping

Beautiful sawn sandstone with a honed surface is used to provide two, clean lined, contemporary terraces, which are as pleasing to the eye, as they are smooth under foot.

The existing raised terrace at the far end of the garden, had began to sag and break up in the middle due to subsidence, caused by the lack of a correctly compacted sub-base. The clients wished to have to have a new terrace immediately outside their recently built modern extension, a replacement surface for the existing terrace with an access step and a new lawn to replace the rather tired existing one.

The clients selected sawn edged, polished sandstone, as these characteristics would best provide a contemporary link to their kitchen extension and was duly laid at either end of the garden in two sizes. Its worth noting that sandstone can be particularly porous, especially after having its surface ground, so it was vital to seal the paving to prevent any possibility of staining.

After laying the new lawn, we filled playful cut outs in the lower terrace with turf inlays to both reinforce the natural geometry of the stone and provide a link to the sweeping new lawn which connects the two areas of paving at either end of the garden.

Now, all the clients have to do is replant the large curved border with plants of their choice, which will give them both pleasure from the task itself and also in the knowledge that they were also part of the process of the garden makeover itself.

Wanstead E11 General Landscaping – Client Testimonial

M & S Morris

Wanstead, London, E11

“We chose Julian after receiving several quotes for our patio, as we were impressed by his professionalism from his very first visit. We were not disappointed. Julian and his team pay a lot of attention to both preparation and  the final aesthetics paying meticulous attention to detail. Julian was very knowledgeable in helping us choose materials and design and often went out of his way. Moreover he and his team are very tidy and considerate workers. We are absolutely thrilled with the results of his hard work. We cannot recommend him highly enough.”.

Wanstead E11 – Job Specification

• 40m2 of Arctic Grey & Graphite Granite Paving

Wanstead London E11 – General Landscaping

This was a fairly straightforward project in North East London, which involved removing the old surface and laying a new one. The old paving had just been laid on a base of sand which in turn had been laid on a brick and rubble hardcore layer filled inside a retaining wall on this built up terrace. This was of course a disaster waiting to happen and the entire terrace had begun to sag in the middle as natural settlement occurred.

The old surface and sand sub-base was removed and replaced with a 100mm layer of type 1 MOT hardcore which was compacted with a vibrating compactor plate. This will ensure that there is no future settlement and is the correct way to lay all paving. Whilst paving can be laid onto sand it is inherently weak and even in situations where subsidence will not occur, there is always a risk of movement which will eventually cause the pointing to crack and give purchase for weeds to start growing between the paving slabs.

The new granite paving was laid on a wet mix of sharp sand and cement. The two shades of sawn edged granite used in this project help to create both a clean contemporary look with virtually zero pointing, whilst perfectly complementing the shades and tones within both the clients chosen planting and the existing garden furniture. The two tones of granite also allowed the opportunity to create a decorative border, which accentuates the central area of the terrace where, an outside dining area can be created during the summer months.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Brixton SW2 Garden Design – Client Testimonial

J & F Guedes

Brixton, London, SW2

“We found Abstract through a web search and along with a couple of other landscape companies got them over to give us a quote. At the end of a full refurbishment process, the budget was tight but we still wanted a beautiful outside space, somewhere we could really relax in, somewhere that reminded us of tropical Brazil where we have friends and family.

First off, Julian was quick at coming up with a design and offered us the most complete solution for the best price. That’s a good start. But that’s not really it, the important bit as far as we were concerned was that he instinctively got what we were aiming for and knew how to create it. So, after a few emails back and forth, a trip to the nursery to bring the planting scheme to life, the final design was nailed down and Julian and his team got to work. That’s when you see how well organised Julian is. Of course the weather messed with the schedule but no worries, the guys put in the hours to get the job back on track. You also see the pride Julian takes in his work and how genuinely happy he is when you are happy with the result. Oh, and he even has a good tidy up at the end of the day to minimise disruption to your life. Fantastic!

So, now we have the beautiful garden we were after, delivered on time and on budget, with creative verve and great friendliness and consideration. We don’t know how things could have gone any better”.

Brixton SW2 – Job Specification

• 40m2 of Kebony decking
• 5m of bespoke Venetian fencing
• 12 lamp 240V lighting system
• Sub-tropical planting scheme

Brixton London SW2 – The Garden Design

The design brief for this garden was to provide a modern contemporary space that would complement and extend the recently renovated interior, but also to provide a taste of Sao Paulo and south east Brazil for this Anglo-Brazilian couple’s new home.

Having lived in Sao Paulo myself for a number of years, where I was totally absorbed with the Brazilian love of modernist architecture set within its seemingly juxtaposed sub-tropical surroundings, I knew exactly what the clients were looking for and also knew this was going to be a really fun project to be involved with.

The garden was already tiered into two levels, with a large lower L shaped area along the side return and in front of the kitchen extension, whilst the main terraced space was raised by approximately 45cm above the lower area.

The clients and myself both considered hardwood decking as the obvious choice of construction material, so normally it would have just been a matter of deciding which type of wood should be employed. Brazilian hardwoods such as Balau and Ipe (ee-pay}, are the standard hardwood options commercially available in the UK, but they are not inexpensive and even with certification, for some people, enough rainforest has already been destroyed for them not to wish to buy into the trade and this was in fact the clients particular position.

I suggested that they should visit my supplier to look at all of the options available, to see if we could come up with an alternative material that could achieve both the look and durability of imported hardwoods.

Standard environmentally sustainable softwood decking could not really provide the look the clients were after, as it is predominantly harvested from Redwood pine. Although softwoods can be stained to mimic hardwoods, invariably that’s exactly what they look like and with wear and tear the stain gets scuffed and it becomes quite obvious that it’s just faking it.

However, a third product called Kebony has now become readily available. Kebony is an alternative to tropical hardwoods, based on a process where sustainable wood is made more durable, harder and more stable using liquids from bio-waste material.  The treatment process gives the wood a rich dark colour so it resembles Teak, Ipe and Mahogony making it a perfect substitute for the genuine article.

Kebony decking also comes with a grooved rebate along the edges so that it can be secured to the framework using a clip system. This means there are no screws directly into the decking boards giving a perfectly clean and clear surface, which ultimately looks especially stylish and modern.

We had removed the raised brick planters and benches from the original garden in the late winter when the garden was nice and clear and cut out and excavated the paving and the sub-base of the upper terrace to create an island on which to construct the main decking area. This left a planting border around four sides of the deck, which ranged from around 90cm wide at the back, decreasing in stages round to the front edge where it was only 30cm wide. This was to allow us to create a rich lush tropical planting area to completely surround the deck: high and dense at the back, gradually lowering and getting narrower round at the front edge to allow access from the L shaped lower level.

A Venetian style fence was constructed across the rear boundary of the garden from prepared and treated 2×1 batons. This gave the garden some much needed privacy from the garden behind, but also helped to frame the planting against the old brick wall (which were cleaned up and sealed with PVA) and give the appearance of a much wider garden due to the horizontal lines of the fence.

The decking boards also ran across the garden on the upper island deck as well as in front of the kitchen on the lower deck to repeat the effect of a wider garden, whilst the boards were switched around by 90 degrees to run along the side return, which stepped up to provide a second entrance to the garden from the lounge.

Two steps connect the lower deck to the upper level and were constructed clear across the whole width of the garden. In this instance it allows access to the upper island deck from any point of the lower garden, as it is as easy to just step over the low level planting as it is use the central gap. Secondly, a very comfortable bench seat has been created across the whole garden, which further helps to give the appearance of extra width to the space. But thirdly, the full width steps really do add a level of elegance and sophistication to the design, which cannot be achieved with a normal set of steps. If the garden length allows, you can optimize this effect even more so by making the steps twice as deep as their height.

In terms of planting we took two different approaches to the two different areas. Along the side return it was definitely a case of less is more, with five big bamboos punctuating the right hand boundary of the side return through precisely positioned square cut outs in the decking. This creates both a lush tropical screen from the neighboring garden, which greets you equally from either inside of the kitchen or the glass doors from the lounge alike, whilst at the same time it subtly reinforces the geometry and proportion of both the design and construction materials.

In contrast the planting around the island deck of the upper terrace was a case of “more is more”. Large Phormiums, dwarf Fan Palms and thick tall grasses and two types of large Agapanthus, two types of Hostas and Zantedeschias lilys form the main evergreen structure at the back and sides of the garden respectively. Three types of Crocosmia and two types of Iris combine to provide a lush flowering interest throughout the growing season, in conjunction with two Birds of Paradise planted in their pots so they can easily be brought in, in the winter. Two tree ferns were planted in the front corners of the planting space so that by the end of the summer they will shoot vast fronds across the decking.

Whilst not all of these species hail directly from the tropics, they certainly create that lush vibrant feeling with the many shades of green radiating from their large leafed structures and bold flowers. The planting bed across the entrance to the decking is the only exception to the theme. Here lavenders have been used to provide the low level planting required, kicking up their lovely pungent scent every time they are brushed over when entering the upper level. However, they do not look out of place with the other planting, proving that you do not have to follow a theme to the letter and that you can make up the rules as you go along as long as you are happy with the outcome.

In terms of lighting, walkover stainless steel decking lights recessed centrally between the bamboos both illuminate the plants and reiterate the order along the side return, whilst stainless steel spike spots up-light and backlight the main planting area, brick walls and fence to create drama and movement with contrasting areas of colour, shadow and light.

Al in all this was a very successful design where we achieved all of our aims exactly as we had hoped and the clients were particularly thrilled with the outcome. The icing on the cake for this garden, which helps to achieve that modernist stamp authentic to south east Brazil and interestingly through its curves rather than straight lines, is given by the clients own chair designed by the late famous Danish interior designer Verner Panton. Somewhat ironically, we were perpetually being chased around the garden by this chair as storage space became more and more of a premium as the construction went on, continually having to move it to ever more obscure positions to allow us the room to finish. This was the last piece to be designed by Verner and is called the Phantom!

Designer: Julian Sandell

St Johns Wood NW7 Garden Design – Client Testimonial

M.Tsim

St Johns Wood, London, NW7

I found Abstract Landscapes through ratedpeople.com as there were many positive testimonials on Julian, I decided to go forward with using him.

He was very professional from the beginning. He delivered the quotation and would follow up efficiently. As both my partner & I are architectural designers, we already had a specific design in mind and Julian was very open in putting forward specific suggestions for construction methods, materials & plant types, to help bring our design to life.

He is very proactive and would bring samples for us to view when requested as well as taking us to the actual nursery to discuss the different plant types available, so my partner & I could have a better understanding of what is out in the market.

Julian has been very honest and responsible. He has also been understanding of our needs as a client, and always flexible and good at coming up with solutions to design problems. Overall, we are very happy with how Abstract Landscapes has brought our garden design idea to life.

St Johns Wood NW7 – Job Specification

• Water Blade water feature
• Buff polished sandstone paving
• 90mm Balau fencing
• 145mm Balau raised lounge platform
• Custom built, powder coated steel planter
• 240V Stainless steel lighting system
• Planting

St Johns Wood London NW7 – The Garden Design

Whilst size is not important, small gardens do bring their own particular challenges for the garden designer, which must be addressed and overcome in order to maximise the potential for your personal enjoyment.

This mews garden on Abbey Road barely measured 3m x 4.5m with approximately two fifths of the space being occupied by a raised brick planter. To add further constraints, a freehold company controlled the gardens in the mews, with particularly draconian rules as to exactly what could and could not be done in the individual gardens. The fences could not be changed, but trellis could be attached as long as no weight was put on the existing fence. The raised brick planters had to remain and if any new surface was laid on the original block paving, it must be a; Removed before sale of the property and b; Cause no damage to the block paving.

Both of the clients worked and had general interest in the design industry, so when the brief came for a garden with clean modern lines and an understated air with the emphasis on the quality of the construction materials I was especially relieved. During our initial consultation it became apparent to the clients that paving was not completely out of the question, so long as a non-permeable membrane was laid to protect the underlying surface. The clients wished to use one side of the raised planter to form a sun bathing platform/cushioned reclining area whist the other side would remain as a planter, with a lush sub-tropical theme. They wished to have a water feature that would cascade into the planting area, and a unified fencing solution to balance the left and right hand boundaries.

I suggested paving with sawn edges, a calibrated thickness and a honed and polished surface, as these characteristics would all help to achieve the clean lined elegance the clients were looking for. In the end, we went for a buff polished sandstone, in 600mm x 600mm and 600mm x 300mm sizes. When laid in English bond, in alternating rows the effect is both contemporary and clean. With white cement utilised for the pointing mortar, a thoroughly contemporary look was achieved which helps to give the illusion of an increased floor area.

The paving occupied three fifths of the floor area, whilst a bed of white pebbles with stepping-stones occupied the remaining two fifths. This same ratio was repeated, but on the reverse side between the planting bed and lounge platform. This made the natural geometry particularly pleasing to the eye, with the upper level being a reverse of the lower level.

Venetian style fencing was constructed from 90mm wide, smooth profile, Brazilian Balau decking boards, secured horizontally with stainless steel screws to 75mm x 75mm posts, which looks both beautiful and helps to pull out the apparent width of the garden. The posts were secured to the existing if somewhat tired hardwood fence with “L” brackets, so that most of the weight of the new fence traveled down through the new posts into the ground, rather than through the old fence to keep within the restraints of the freehold company. A softwood frame was constructed and fixed to the top of the planter so that a lounge platform could be laid on top from 145mm Balau decking boards. A narrow 90mm board was used to face the platform, to both lighten the appearance of the construction and to provide a natural link to the two fences on either side.

A custom built, powder coated steel planter was positioned on the pebble bed along the right hand border, where bamboos were planted to create a lush screen, which would provide gentle and graceful movement in the slightest breeze. The main planting bed was filled with Fan palms, a large centrally positioned Phormium and two species of Astelias to provide the main architectural structure, whilst Iris’s, Zantedeschia Lilies and Crocosmias provide the flowering interest throughout the growing season.

Stainless steel down-lights have been used to provide general lighting for the seating area, whilst a combination of spotlights and up-lights provide drama by back lighting the general planting, the bamboo screen and the old brick walls.

Finally, a stainless steel water blade was installed within the fence to cascade into the centre of the planting bed. Combined with the lush planting, and Lotus flower water lily the sound and sight of rushing water has created the feeling of a small tropical paradise within this part of North West London, which feels almost twice the size of the original garden.

The first step is to define exactly what your needs and requirements are for the outside space you wish to develop. Ask yourself the question, “What do I want to do in my garden and what function does it provide?” For some, it will be the purely the cultivation and propagation of the plants themselves that will provide the main source of interest, so the structure of the garden will reflect this with composters, cold frames and raised planting beds being of primary importance. Alternatively, it could just be a place to relax and entertain at the weekend, so a paved dining area with lighting and low maintenance planting would be a more likely appeal.

Find pictures in magazines or online of other gardens that most suit your gardens functional criteria. Search for the styles that most interest you, so that you can get a feel for what is involved in these kinds of gardens. Look around to see what other people are doing and which elements you want to incorporate in your own garden design. You could also read our blog post “How a Landscape Gardener Plans a Good Garden” to help you in your research. Why not take a look at the BBC’s Virtual Garden Online Tool to help design your garden or browse the planting styles and plans created by top garden designers.

Choose a style that genuinely inspires you. If you want something unique or unusual, perhaps consider a water garden or maybe go for strong geometric layouts and designs. There are so many different ways to utilise your outdoor space and it will be up to you to make the final call about your own garden design.

Be mindful of your budget. If you have a limit to what you can spend, you need to stay focused on that, but don’t let a limited budget put you off. There are so many different affordable ways to create a great garden design, that you should never let money get in the way. See ideas for gardening on a budget to get the most from your money. Remember you don’t have to do everything at once, you can develop your space over a period of time when your finances allow.

These are just a few hints to help you create your perfect garden design. Remember, this is a creative endeavour that gives you the ability to do as you please and you should take advantage of that. Garden design is as unique as you are, which is something that you should always keep in mind, so that you can create the space that you’ve always dreamed of instead of just copying someone else’s garden design.

One of the outcomes of contemporary garden design is to minimise any necessary maintenance. This is a critical element, and so it is a good idea to limit the number of plants and flowers that are included in your design. By having fewer plants, you will have less labour involved in the upkeep your garden, which by its very nature can make it more enjoyable, but at the same time it will accentuate both the structures you have created and the natural forms of those plants that you have selected. Having a simple patio or decking area around your garden is a great way to beautify the space without creating too much work for yourself.

However contemporary garden design isn’t about creating stark minimalism. In fact, it is about creating a beautiful space that you can enjoy all year-round. This can include familiar elements such as decking or patio spaces, but equally glass, metal, or rendered structures to provide backdrops for planting or to frame specific views and specimen plants, or even just to reiterate certain geometrical features within the garden design. Creating walls or living screens from plants such as bamboos is another great way to create different structures that will complement your design. Choosing potted and container placed planting of shrubs and trees is another interesting way to break up an area of hard landscaping, where multiples of a single species not only make a bold statement, but also serve to provide structural interest and allow for creative positioning to further beautify your contemporary garden space.

There are many different ideas for contemporary gardens that you can find online and in garden magazines, but you can also get creative and design your very own space that is like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Take the time to research contemporary garden design a little bit to see what options you have and what others are doing so that you can realise your dreams of a beautiful garden space that is more for enjoyment and less for work. The goal of any garden is to create an enjoyable space that you can appreciate, and contemporary design can allow you to do just that.

What a Landscape Gardener should understand

To begin with, a landscape gardener should visit with the owner and determine what they have in mind.  This includes getting an idea of which colours they may desire, the types of structures they would like to have included, and the degree of intricacy or simplicity they wish to display in the garden.  Next, a walk through the property should give insight as to how the owner’s desires will actually play out.  The key to planning a good garden is in understanding both the limits of the space, as well as its advantages.  A fully competent landscape gardener knows that the garden should accentuate, not compete with its surroundings.  In conservation areas, this often means keeping a classic look while incorporating new ideas to keep things fresh.

After the interview and the walk through, it is time to start putting ideas on paper.  The gardener will plan the landscape on paper, making detailed drawing or using computer imaging.  Many programs these days can use images of actual plants and replicate the bare landscape so as to give a better idea of what the finished product will look like.  Once the landscape gardener is given the go ahead from the owners, he can begin the actual gardening.

Sow the seeds for success

The landscape gardener will have a plan in place that will ensure a smooth transition as the project progresses.  Back up plans have to be made for bad weather as it is almost impossible to work on landscaping projects whilst it is raining. They will plan which plants to plant first and when to place other structures and if there are any, in a way that will provide the most effective and efficient use of the landscape gardeners time.

Typical City Garden Design

These gardens typically consist of a centre “courtyard” surrounding by plants.  Often these must be housed in pots or planters, especially if the space is not on the ground floor.  Making the most of these aspects of designing a garden in the city go a long way toward long-term satisfaction with the area.  The most popular designs include a dining area in the centre of a patio, with plants surrounding the table and chairs.  Plants are strategically placed so as to remain interesting in spite of lack of variety.

Plant species and the seasonal variations can become somewhat more of an issue, as the plants need to look good all year long.  The plan that works in many larger country gardens of having some plants that look good all year to make up for the ones that die back in the winter does not work in these situations. This is because in such a small space even one unhealthy plant ruins the effect.

Though it takes some extra garden design planning, with a little creativity a beautiful garden can be had in the city just like in the country. Beauty and functionality do not have to be sacrificed due to size. Keeping it simple and being aware of the details are the best way to accomplish a stunning garden design in a small space. Whether doing it yourself or hiring a landscape gardener, take the time to plan and design effectively so as to get the best use of the space that is there.

If the area is closed in, consider if it may be possible to change the fencing.  For example, could the solid fence be replaced with a Venetian fence or trellis?  If this is a possibility, train climbing plants or vines to grow around them and that will eventually add more privacy, which can only benefit the basic garden design.  Once that is taken care of, it is time to consider plants.  With little ground space, it can benefit the gardener to take advantage of plants with height.  Tall, narrow plants take up less ground space and have the added advantage of contributing to privacy in the case of flats or other close quarter living spaces.

Garden design options

Though a full outdoor dining area may not be possible in a small space, a cosy nook for drinks could add just the finishing touch.  Find a corner that has good shade when needed and lay a small cobblestone or brick patio or even a built in seating area to provide or amplify the natural focal point.  One close to the entrance to the house is ideal for serving purposes, but the space will be enjoyed more if it is comfortable to sit in rather than being constantly blasted by the sun, so that should be a priority.  Add a small café style table and the outdoor sanctuary is complete.

Develop the garden design to satisfy your needs

Even in these small city spaces, careful design and planning can create a beautiful sanctuary in which to enjoy the outdoors.  A table with an umbrella can provide shading if the garden does not do it naturally.  Tall plants can fill the space in without making it too crowded, and the close quarters allow for pleasantly scented flowers to be enjoyed more thoroughly. If the fencing can be made more functional or made to add to the atmosphere it is ideal, but even if this is not the case, all is not lost.  Simply work with what you have so that the garden design makes the best possible use from the space available.

Lack of space does not have to limit your ability to have a great garden. There are many design tips and tricks that can create a beautiful space in the smallest of areas. Whether an apartment in London with no lawn or a terraced house with a very small garden, there are many possibilities. A garden can be a great way to add to your living space, making it an extension of the home. For example, a deck or patio can be turned into an outdoor dining area. Or, perhaps it could be a shady area to take afternoon drinks. Designing for small gardens just requires careful planning and creativity.

Garden Design For Small Gardens

The first thing to do when designing the garden is to consider the style that is desired. Typically, this should follow along with the main décor of the house. The more modern designs work well in small areas as they include green plants in small numbers with large blank spaces in between. This can look quite sparse, but often these spaces are enhanced with modern lighting.

If colour and flowers are desired, you could create a step garden. This is when the garden is planted in rows on platforms at different levels. In this way, the vertical space can be utilized, and ground space is saved. Another option for vertical space is climbing plants, including roses and vines. These can be trained to grow around intricate columns or trellis work. Each of these methods frees up space for seating or a dining area that will allow for hours of garden enjoyment.

Landscape design for small gardens is more than simply gardening on a smaller scale. Different plants may be required based on soil and sun access. It is important to remember that some plants are just not conducive to a small garden. Sticking to tall, narrow, or climbing plants offer the most versatility in a small space. With careful planning a small garden can be just a beautiful as a larger one.

Herb gardens are very popular today. Fresh herbs are arguably essential for the many cuisines that are now almost native to the London area. The problem is that many people believe they do not have the space. This is especially true in the city. If there is a small space for a garden on a patio or back deck, most want to utilize it for outdoor seating and plants that provide an atmosphere for such a space.

There are some options, however, that allow for both the planting of fresh herbs as well as regular gardening plants in small spaces such as these. These options simply require some creativity and careful planning to pull together the perfect herb garden design.

Planning your herb garden design

The first option is to blend fresh herbs in with traditional garden plants. The right planning and garden design can allow for the planting of herbs right alongside other plants. The key is to choose herbs that require only certain amounts of sun, and to choose other plants that will leave an appropriate amount of space and allow for some sun exposure. Choose herbs that look and smell nice, such as lavender, so that they not only can be used for cooking, but they improve the atmosphere of the garden as well.

Another option is a window planter. Herbs do not take a lot of space. A small window planter can grow two or three plants of several different types of herbs. Pick three or four you use the most and plant a couple of each.  In this way you get variety without wasting space on herbs that will only be used occasionally. Another version of this option is a large planter.  These do not usually go in the window but rather on a patio or deck. A larger planter of any size can hold several herb plants. Follow the same steps as you would for a window planter to determine what to plant. It might be wise in a fairly large planter to plant those herbs that are used more frequently on the outer edges and less used ones in the middle.

Important herb garden design choices

Whichever herb garden design option is chosen, it is important to remember to not let space limit too much. As long as the plants have access to soil, sunlight, and water they can be raised, even in a very small space. Keeping in mind that some herbs can be very beautiful and fragrant, do not hide them from the world. Rather, use them for decoration and ambiance much as you would a regular garden design.

What to look out for when choosing a Landscape Gardener

There are several characteristics to look for when choosing a landscape gardener.  Educational background is one thing to take into consideration.  It should not make or break a decision however.  Looking at previous work is the best way to judge of how talented a gardener is.  Looking at pictures is fine, but pictures do not usually do justice to beautiful landscaping and design.  The best way to start is by looking around and finding landscape designs that you love. Choose neighbourhoods that tend toward the style you desire.  Diferent areas in London can have unique architectural styles, so choosing a design that exemplifies your personal preference and fits its surroundings is a step in the right direction.  Pick a few favourites in the way of landscaping and find out who the gardener was.  Often there is a sign somewhere at the front that will note who did the landscaping, however, in lieu of this, just ask the owners of the property who they contracted.

Communicate with your Landscape Gardener

Next, speak with those who have had their landscaping done by the gardeners who created your favourite landscaping designs.  Ask questions about reliability, time frames, and creativity. Some prefer a landscape gardener who simply follows instructions and offer no input.  However, the majority of those needing a landscaper also need the professional and creative input they offer.  Think about the answers you get and narrow your list down to two or three to contact.

There are so many things to consider, but by this point, you already know you like their work and that they are easy to work with.  At this point, it is time to discuss what ideas they may have for your particular space and get some quotes.  Tell them what you have in mind and listen to what they are thinking, and then determine which gardener’s ideas line up the best with what you envision for your garden.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Queens Park London NW6 Garden Design – Client Testimonial

R. Farmer

Queens Park, London, NW6

Abstract Landscapes were recommended to me by a friend, for which I consider myself to have been very lucky, because you don’t find people like Julian and his team very often at all.

He threw himself into understanding exactly the type of garden design I hoped to have; as an extension of the modern inside space I’d recently converted. His garden design suggestions came with precise drawings and material references, but also with a very collaborative, open spirit. He urged me to go with things I wasn’t sure about and on all of them he was right.

What quickly becomes apparent when you’re working with Julian is that he cares as much about the design succeeding as you do. In fact, he has the sort of attention to detail you’d think only annoying clients would have. Delivering on his word is very important to him, so timing and budget is something you’re confident about, whilst you get to focus on the fun bit as the garden takes shape.

I like everything about Julian’s design. There are many spaces, materials and views I enjoy and it’s not that big a garden. But I particularly like the stone paved area up against the house: uncompromising edges, perfectly in proportion, great under the feet and some lovely touches like the hard wood bridge and built-in beds. Now I need to own another garden so I can work with Julian again!

Queens Park London NW6 – Job Specification

• 45m2 of Arctic Granite Paving
• Iroko footbridge
• Bespoke Iroko fence panel
• 35m2 of new lawn
• 18m2 of softwood decking
• 5m of 6ft high softwood fencing
• 240V Lighting System
• Planting

Queens Park London NW6 – The Garden Design

The project at Queens Park London NW6, is the garden design that has required the most accurate construction methods, has needed the most attention to all of the details and as a result has ultimately been one of the most fulfilling. The design brief was to create a garden design that would both extend the modern inside space, which had recently been renovated, to the outside, but also to provide a contrasting more informal and natural area at the bottom of this sloping garden.

We decided to use honed and calibrated Arctic Grey granite for the paved area adjacent to the house. This has ultimately given a beautiful contemporary feel to the terrace because of its smooth surface and clean lines, but equally because it has provided a really great colour match for the white interior flooring. Because both the surface and the faces of the terrace were to be covered with the granite and in order to maximise the contemporary feel inherent in the stone, it was vital that we only used whole pieces of stone. This meant that the terrace area had to be calculated to exact units of the granite, and the underlying structure which was constructed from concrete blocks, had to be perfectly square to within a millimetre or two, in order to avoid any cuts.

As a result we had to take particular care and attention when marking the dimensions for the structures, as all of the aspects of construction were inter-related. For example, the Iroko footbridge over the dry valley had been constructed from precise units of board, in order to achieve the level of finish required. If the two sides of the terraces were slightly out of square, we would have to trim one of the boards to make it fit and this would have been unacceptable for the integrity of the design.

The other main challenge was to connect or link the two quite distinct upper and lower areas of the garden. Up by the house it was all straight lines and uncompromising edges to help create the contemporary look, but down under the trees we were looking to achieve a more natural feel. The decking was constructed so that it had quite an abstract profile, a digital curve if you like. The more natural planting was then positioned close to the deck so that the plants cascade over the edges to soften the hard lines, with the existing small tree adding to the effect by coming up through the decking surface.

We linked the terrace to the decking with a pathway made from the granite paving, but rather than running it directly which would have just reinforced the straight lines from the terrace onto the lower area, it was laid to form a dynamic curve or sine wave pattern. This shape created a large curving bed on one side of the pathway and a curved edge to the new lawn. We cut another curved bed out into the lawn under the large pear tree to further reduce the straight geometry inherent in the upper garden.The resulting structure has allowed both areas to flow naturally into each other, with the curves of the lower area providing the links to the straight lines of the upper area through the pathway and visa-versa.

The planting contained within the garden serves to both unify and also define the two distinct areas within the garden. Around the terrace it is all very architectural and structured. Three large black bamboos in cubed planters conceal the side return, which is soon to be closed with a new extension and three Western Himalayan paper bark birches are set into the front edge of the terrace to help define the terrace as both a distinct area and an extension of the interior lounge space. A selection of large Agaves have been set into the dry valley and the gravel garden that flow from it, immediately in front of the terrace.

However, the bamboos, birches and grasses placed between the birches also provide the perfect antidote to the rigidity of the terrace and link to the lower garden. Their tall stems gracefully sway and their delicate leaves gently flutter in the slightest breeze. This movement is further reinforced with the rest of the planting as you move further down the garden, with the large curved beds being brim full with a selection of Phormiums and a sea of Crocosmias from four different species.

With the stainless steel lighting system adding definition and drama to the space and the Iroko footbridge and fence panel providing both further texture to the garden and colour match to the interior furniture, this is a very successful garden design, that both the client and Abstract Landscapes are very proud of.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Notting Hill Garden Design – Client Testimonial

W. Hancock

Notting Hill, W11 London

Abstract Landscapes did an excellent job transforming my rambling and overgrown Victorian garden into a functional, contemporary space; installing planters, decking, lighting, stone, a bespoke fence and planting scheme. The project was well managed from start to finish, and stayed within budget. Julian’s attention to detail ensured a well thought out design that I am extremely happy with, the lighting being a particular triumph.

He also went “well beyond the call”, spending lots of time researching flower and plant varieties, as well as materials options that have ultimately enhanced his original design. I would highly recommend Abstract Landscapes to anyone considering developing their outside space.

Job Specification – Notting Hill

• 30m2 of softwood decking
• 5m of 6ft bespoke softwood fencing
• Decking board raised planters
• 240V lighting system
• Planting

This garden was another very enjoyable project for the team and myself. The client wished to create two distinct areas in the new garden; an area of decking to lead out from the house which would make a sheltered sun terrace in this south facing garden and then a barbecue and dining area which would be surrounded by planting.

There was an existing fence at the back of the garden that was falling apart, which in turn covered a brick wall, which was also in need of repair. Unfortunately, this wall was shared by two other neighbouring gardens both of which were being let, with neither respective landlords’ wishing to get involved in the rebuilding process. Because of this, the client decided that we should build a new fence just inside his boundary.

Having decided to build two large planters from softwood decking boards, which would divide the two distinct halves of the garden and surround the dining area with plants, we built a six foot high, Venetian style fence across the rear boundary from 5cm wide, planed softwood batons and 10cm wide posts to tie everything in.

The decking was constructed directly on top of the old paving, which is one of its natural advantages, as it easily covers uneven surfaces, with the boards running from left to right to make the garden feel wider. We set walk over decking lights along the left and right hand edge of the decking to up-light the walls and fences on either side, which would in turn create reflected lighting for the decking area itself.

The planters were constructed so that there was an entrance walkway in the centre to access the dining area. We laid a new surface from Derbyshire White limestone chippings in between the planters to form the dining area.

We planted lots of Birds of Paradise and Zantedeschia Lilys in the front of the planters to provide a lush tropical entrance to the dining area and continued the theme with Phormiums, Agaves, Crocosmias and Iris, with a selection of Lavenders to provide a lovely scent when sat at the table. We placed several Jasmines at the back of the planters so that in time they would spread across the new fence.

The final result has made a really enjoyable space, with the dining area surrounded by the plants being particularly successful. The use of spotlights illuminating the planting and brickwork on the rear façade of the house has been the icing on the cake, making what is a fantastic garden by day, especially magical at night.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Clapham Common Garden Design – Client Testimonial

D. Owen

Clapham Common, SW4 London

My small patio garden was hopelessly overgrown and in dire need of a makeover!

I found Julian via the internet. He was fantastic from the very start. He designed a totally modern look for me and I have been absolutely delighted with the result. Although he consulted me about everything along the way, all the ideas have been his, from the lovely light stone and type of lighting down to plant selection.

In addition to that, Julian has been extremely reliable, patient, tidy and someone I could totally trust in all respects. He was highly professional throughout and I would have no hesitation in recommending him to anyone

Job Specification – Clapham Common

• Bespoke, softwood venetian fencing
• 32m2 of Arctic grey granite paving
• Planter bench & low level raised beds with plants
• 240V,10 lamp lighting system

This was quite a challenging project mostly due to the sheer lack of space. The gardens in this particular area of Clapham are small and in most cases the houses have been split into 2 or 3 flats. As a result, the ground floor flats generally have extensions on the back, further reducing an already cramped garden area and the buildings are also quite tall, which makes the side returns dark and alley like. The garden itself was full of overgrown shrubs and rampant climbing plants, which only added to the claustrophobic nature of the space. The existing Larch lap fences were shredded by Ivy and barely standing.

The basic design brief was to build a new paved garden with a contemporary feel that would maximize the limited space. There needed to be enough room for the clients’ table and chairs, sun loungers and barbecue, whilst still providing enough space to provide some compact planting beds. The side return was approximately half of the entire garden and so it was particularly important to utilize this lost area and try and make it as visually interesting as possible, from both inside the flat and from the garden itself.

I suggested to the client to use Arctic Grey granite because it has precisely cut, sawn edges and a perfectly flat surface, which really lends itself to a contemporary look, but also because of the way it creates light and space. When dry the paving has a white appearance, which sparkles brightly in sunlight due to the quartz in its composition. This makes the space feel much larger and amplifies all of the natural light it receives. The stone is actually made from three colours, white quartz, plus black and grey. When the paving is wet it has a gunmetal grey appearance, which looks very stylish and yet still sparkles in direct sunlight.

The stone completely transformed the side return, making it feel much wider and brighter, giving us enough room to install up-lit specimen bamboos along one side of the side return, which has created a feature alternative entrance to the main garden from the client’s bedroom. We also used the granite to clad the built in planter bench and beds (which were constructed from concrete blocks) to unify the built up structures.

The new fences were created from horizontally secured, smooth profile 150mm wide Redwood decking planks. This style of horizontal Venetian fencing gives the illusion of width to the garden by spreading out the vista from left to right, but it also adds a good contemporary feel to the new boundary line. The top of the fence is finished with 7 lines of 32mm wide Redwood batons. Whist this forms an interesting design detail and creates a delicate finish to the fence, it also reinforces the 7:1 ratio between the boards and the batons employed in its construction.

The garden lighting uses two different lamp models with stainless steel chassis; directional spike spots which were placed in the ground to up light the space in between the bamboos along the side return and behind the planter bench; and directional wall mounted units to down light the fence, planting and planter bench itself.

Bamboos and Phormiums provide the evergreen structure to the planting with a selection of Crocosmias, Agapanthus, Iris, Zantedeschias, Hostas and grasses that will give a continual bloom from April to September. Two Passion flowers will quickly climb the fence creating more structural height and texture to the fencing itself.

All in all a very successful design and build, which has fulfilled both the clients’ requirements for their garden and the basic design criteria for a contemporary space by limiting the construction pallet to just three materials; wood, granite and stainless steel.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Wandsworth Garden Design – Client Testimonial

A. Fox

Wandsworth, SW18 London

Julian and his team were very professional throughout. There was great attention to detail which resulted in a high quality finish that was impossible to fault. I would happily recommend them to anyone.

Job Specification – Wandsworth

• 20m2 of Truslate, slate paving
• 4 x Decking board planters & planting
• Bin Store

This was a really enjoyable project to work on and as can be seen by the “before” photographs, has completely transformed the front of this large town house in Wandsworth. The two pathways running to the left and right sides of the front pathway of this double fronted building were made from concrete crazy paving, which was all beginning to lift due to the roots of the lime trees at the front of the property. The access pathway to the basement flat on the left side of the front garden was laid in tarmac and also starting to break up. The communal area for the dustbins was nothing more than a couple of posts in the ground to indicate where the bins should be placed and as a result was quite a mess, continually having rubbish thrown into it by passing pedestrians.

The basic brief was to unify all of the pathways in a manner that would be sympathetic to the building, to solve the problem of the communal refuse area and to create a planting structure over the asymmetric spaces available in the garden.

We decided to use a natural black slate paving for the pathways, which would complement the black coping stones on the walls and the black slate roof tiles. Large planters were constructed from smooth profile redwood decking boards on either side of the front pathways, with a further two planters stepping down the terraced slope on the left hand garden towards the entrance to the basement flat. We constructed a large bin store at the end of the right hand pathway from marine ply. By moving the bins away from the front fence, we eradicated the problem of people throwing their rubbish onto the bins, and also covered the right hand boundary fence, which was not particularly nice. The bin stores and the planters where stained so that all of the woodwork was the same colour.

The clients opted for a contrasting Spanish White stone chipping surface between the planters and provided plants for the planters, which we installed following the topsoil. Finally, we raised the crowns of the lime trees to let more light into the north facing garden, removed all of the suckers around the base of the trunks and put down a bark mulch to tidy the area under the trees.

The final result is quite a transformation from what we found on our initial survey and our clients were extremely happy with the finish.

Designer: Julian Sandell

Clapham Old Town Garden Design – Client Testimonial

G. Seeger

Clapham Old Town, SW4 London

Julian has done a great job not only in designing the garden initially but in developing that design over a couple of years.

He has innovative ideas and has understood what I was trying to achieve – he has ultimately delivered a modern-look garden which is exactly what I wanted. He listens, distils that information and suggests and nudges in a certain direction rather than dictating, using his knowledge and expertise (on both design and plants) to get to the right answer and look. He has also gone out of this way to help in the maintenance of the garden and is very flexible here.

Julian also does something very simple – he delivers a quality product on-time and on-budget. He is also very communicative throughout the process and is very easy to work with. This is now all too rare and I would not hesitate to recommend Julian, and have indeed done so to friends and colleagues, all of whom share my very high opinion.

Job Specification – Clapham Old Town

• 96m2 of new lawn
• 14m of Feather edge fencing and trellis
• 20m2 of black Limestone paving
• 25m2 of softwood decking
• 240V Supplied low voltage lighting system

Whilst at first glance this is a fairly simple garden, it is probably one of my favourite projects that I have worked on over the last few years and this is for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, because of the sheer transformation that has taken place. When the client first invited me to visit the property for a quotation it was like taking a walk in Epping Forrest. There were small trees and saplings, bramble and nettles, huge tufts of couch grass, other wild woodland and meadow plants, plus a few random laurels and Nandina Domesticas. There was even a ditch about 18 inches deep, which ran clear through the centre of the garden.

The second reason is for the simplicity of the design, which is its major strength. The client has a very busy lifestyle and so doesn’t really have a great deal of time to look after what is quite a large garden, so we decided to keep the design very simple and low maintenance.

There were enough Laurels and Nandinas to create a border along one side of the large rectangular space. In one corner where the remains of a paved area had been, we built a raised softwood deck for the barbecue and dining space. Two pathways of black limestone were laid to provide access from the entrance gate to the decking and from the decking to the Laurel border. This left us with a large central area, where we laid a new lawn. We had to rotovate the ground and remove all of the roots and stones and then import a massive 10 tons of topsoil, in order to level the entire area before we could begin to lay the turf. Following the lawn we installed 14 low voltage, mains supplied lamps, to up-light the new fence, brick walls and planting.

Finally, we finished it all off with four large Phormiums placed in tall cylindrical pots, formally positioned across both of the pathways to give a very neat and fairly minimal, ordered garden.

V. Ballard

Streatham, SW16 London

My garden was quite a large and unruly place, full of brambles and nettles and had become so overwhelming that it had been barely touched for years.

Once I got Julian on board everything changed! After he came to see the garden he sent me a detailed quote almost immediately and once he started the garden with his assistant Rob I began to see a fantastic transformation evolving.

They were creative, hardworking, charming to deal with throughout the whole process and created for me a beautiful garden, including a terrace, pathway, raised beds and even uprooted a tree.

I would highly recommend Julian and his team as reliable, honest, skilful, hardworking and very reasonably priced.

Job Specification – Streatham

• 25m2 of Cotswold paving and pathway
• Sleeper constructed raised planters
• Compacted Cotswold gravel surface

This project shows exactly how much can be achieved with a fairly conservative budget and a bit of thought. The two clients who shared this unusual L shaped garden had not used it because they were unhappy with its lay out.

They wanted an area of paving where they could have a table and chairs, and they needed to have some raised beds, as the woodland nature of the space meant that they continually had natural species invading any ground level planting. With raised beds you can seal the ground with weed sheeting and then add new topsoil to prevent dormant plant and weeds from germinating. The new railway sleepers were a good way of quickly raising beds without too much labour costs being added to the project. We had to make sure that they were not warped or twisted as this could cause endless problems when trying to create vertical edges and nice straight lines.

We used a composite paving, which mimics natural Cotswold paving to create a paved area and then laid a meandering curved pathway, which leads the eye around the corner of the L, where it ends at a bench under a large tree. Cotswold stone chippings were then laid and compacted on either side of the pathway to provide an affordable surface for the majority of the ground.
The clients wished to install the planting themselves, which at the time these photographs were taken had not yet been completed. It is important to remember that sometimes things have to be done in stages, in order to achieve what would otherwise be unaffordable for a client if carried out in one hit.

A. Awad

Tooting, SW17 London

Julian recently replaced our garden fence which goes all the way round our end of terrace corner house.

Dealing with Julian was a breath of fresh air from the usual stream of questionable traders around. First and foremost Julian is punctual, courteous and inspires the confidence of a true professional. He knows his trade and he does what he says.

The fence is exactly what we asked for and we are delighted with the quality of the work and the fact it was completed on time and within the budget agreed.

We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Julian to anyone. He’s very much ‘old school’ and that is a rare quality these days.

Job Specification – Tooting

• 16m of Feather edge / Close board fencing
• Feather edge Close board gate

This was a fairly straightforward project, replacing a 16m run of fencing, which had been knocked down by a car that had lost control. However it does perfectly demonstrate the flexibility of feather edge fencing.

The council had installed low concrete curbs on the inside of the pavement along the perimeters of all the properties, which follows the natural gradient of the pavement. It would be impossible to build a fence from standard panels as they would either have to be angled down the slope with the posts, or else the gravel boards would have to be cut into wedge shapes which again would not be correct.

Feather edge fencing on the other hand, can be constructed so that the top rails of the fence are level and the individual panels then step down the slope or as in this case, it runs with the gradient, whilst the posts and feathers follow the normal vertical position. This allows the fence to run around the property through two different gradients and always remain vertically positioned on whole gravel boards.

This project also shows the ease at which you can change heights within individual sections to link two areas with different security requirements. The side of the property is six feet, six inches high to deter potential intruders and to provide a visual screen to the garden, but at the front of the property only a four foot high fence is required, so there is a clear view from the front of the house. Because feather edge fencing is constructed on site, it is a simple process to change heights within one panel. You simply cut the feathers to the required angle once they have been attached to the arris rails and then fit the capping and counter rail to the top of the feathers to link the two sections.