A long narrow garden, which had a rotten timber deck with steps down to a central stone path with lawn to either side. The design both elongated and narrowed the garden, further exacerbated by the narrow planting beds.

THE BRIEF: Create a natural wild garden with plenty of flowers and colour and not too orderly

The deck was replaced with a composite deck with stainless steel cables running between the balustrade to ensure the view of the garden is uninterrupted. Bull-nose steps and raised beds provide a clean low maintenance finish.

Beyond the deck we created a garden of discovery full of wild flowers and soft grasses to divide and conceal. Planting is an informal prairie style with many different types of ornamental grasses and small-headed colourful perennials to create a naturalistic look. We used a central bed to break up the garden with a beautiful Amelanchier tree under planted with layers of arching Molinia grasses, Knautia, Betony, and meadow geraniums on one side and to the other a blood red Japanese acer with Hakone grasses, deschampsia, heuchera, and ferns. The existing stepping stones to create a softer flowing path to the end of the garden, with self binding gravel to add texture