'We wanted a low-maintenance, Zen-style garden to relax in'

When this couple moved into their 1970s architect-designed bungalow in 2009, they had a major renovation on their hands. ‘Since we moved in everything has been redone – insulation, windows, plumbing, electricity and flooring,’ explains the owner. ‘Renovating the garden was one of the last things to tackle.'

'Technically, there was no garden – at least not one that we could use. It was just laid to lawn with mature trees for privacy, but we wanted to use the space for cooking and entertaining, so we had a large, grey, composite deck built behind the house, enclosed by a low wall.’

The couple needed expert design help to integrate this ‘outdoor room’ with the rest of the garden, so they hired Louisa Gilhooly at Supernature Garden Design. ‘We wanted a Zen-like garden to go with the house,’ says the owner. ‘Also, we’re not avid gardeners, so we needed plants that would look after themselves.’

The transformation took eight weeks, and was finished in spring 2019. ‘It has completely changed how we use the garden,’ recalls the owner.

‘We’d only ever used the barbecue area behind the house and completely forgot about the left-hand side, because it was just grass and a fence. Louisa turned it into a space we can actually use.’

Now, the left side of this L-shaped plot comprises a series of separate focal points that align with the house windows. ‘It means each room offers a slightly different view,’ explains the owner.

Half the lawn was removed to make a deep woodland border. Louisa, the garden designer says: ‘I chose easy, shade-loving plants, mainly evergreens, that would give lots of texture and form, that weren’t too flowery. There’s just the white agapanthus to make a bit of a statement, and the bold red crocosmia, which has crept in from next door.’

A row of sculptural oak posts rises up from the planting. ‘It’s our version of Woodhenge,’ laughs the owner. ‘They help screen the garden and develop an attractive silver patina with age.’

Wafty grasses such as Miscanthus ‘Morning light’ also create a little privacy, while shaggy golden Hakonechloa ‘Aureola’ and autumn moor grass (Seslaria autumnalis) add texture. Pheasant’s tail grass (Anemanthele lessoniana) does well in dry shade and picks up on the rusty tones of the Corten-steel water feature.

‘The far end of the garden was all dead space to us but now it feels like the part we visit the most,’ says the owner. ‘The views change throughout the seasons. Towards winter, the Miscanthus turns from green to gold, and in spring you get all the tulips, in purple, red, orange and white.'

'It’s not just a green garden – you’ve got different shapes, colours and sculptural effects. I love sitting outside waiting for inspiration to strike.’

The large garden is divided up into several distinct sections, each with its specific use.

A sheltered area offers a relaxed space to retreat to for evening warmth, with a shallow Corten-steel fire bowl flanked on two sides by simple backless benches, with a selection of cushions from John Lewis.

The gently sloping lawn has been reduced to a neat rectangle, with adjacent woodland border of shade-loving plants under mature trees, including Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’.

Beyond the lawn are two new ‘destination’ areas – a rusty Corten-steel water feature, and the aforementioned fire bowl/seating area – both provide focal points from the house.

The owners love their Corten-steel water feature, which is programmed to start automatically at 9.30am and end at 11pm.

'The pigeons enjoy bathing in the water and will sit and wait for it start!' he says. The rusty tones of pheasant’s tail grass (Anemanthele lessoniana) chime perfectly with the weathered steel.

This sun trap between green and gold conifers is a welcoming private spot for morning coffee and catching up on reading.

The angular resin-bonded path, with inset ‘stepping-stone’ pavers, makes a neat geometrical divider between the loose-gravel planting area and lush green lawn. In the foreground are statement white agapanthus.

Two rows of off-set oak sleeper posts create an inexpensive privacy screen among the plants – a feature that obscures sightlines into the garden without using a visually heavy, solid fence.

Tactile plants here include repeated clumps of Miscanthus ‘Morning Light’ grass as well as dwarf pine trees and exotic-looking red crocosmia ‘Lucifer’.

The owners love to entertain outdoors on their extensive deck, made from composite decking planks in smart anthracite grey. The gas firepit table is from Cambridge Home & Garden, with heat-proof protective surround.

The large patio with composite decking serves as the main focal point for entertaining. 'We’re not avid gardeners, so the main way we use the garden is basically barbecuing,' says the owner.

The ceramic egg-shaped barbecue stands on modular Grillo outdoor kitchen units, made from heavy gauge aluminium with a marine-grade coating and porcelain worktops.

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