Town house - East Sussex

This project presented a challenging L-shaped rear garden in a town property near the coast. As part of works to the house new French doors connected the under-used garden with the sitting room and kitchen and created a need for the garden to look good at all times.

Clearing and rebuilding overgrown boundary fencing combined with new pleached trees and two specimen multi-stem ‘Strawberry’ trees re-established privacy and vertical interest.

Evergreen structural planting delineates the space in the new design with contrasting tightly clipped topiary and loose natural mounds creating a sense of space and drama inspired by Japanese gardens. Meanwhile, a combination of reclaimed Yorkstone paving and a shell-based gravel inspired by its seaside location creates dining and seating areas from which to enjoy the sun throughout the day from the new garden furniture. A matrix of grasses provides the basis through which a succession of bulbs and naturalistic planting provide colour and interest throughout the growing season.