Entertaining Garden, Harpenden
The owners a professional couple had recently moved back into their large detached house and garden, after several years working abroad in the Far East, during which time the house had been rented out and the garden mainly left to lawn had been largely neglected.
A retaining wall and change of level three quarters of the way up the garden made the garden appear smaller than it was. The space behind this wall needed to be opened up and made accessible from the rest of the garden to enjoy the full potential and scope of the garden.
When designing a garden, it is useful to divide up the garden space with features, paths and points of interest such as; planting, sculpture and focal points so that your eye doesn’t move straight to the back fence which tends to foreshorten the view, but rather stops at points in the foreground to create a layered richness and depth of field to the garden.
The curved terrace across the back of the house was designed to create a comfortable to accommodate family get togethers and space to relax in comfort.
A snaking path slowly winds it’s way from the terrace area through to the back of the garden, along the way secluded seating areas provide intimate spaces in which to relax, and as the path curves around taller planting of Echinaceas, Knautias and Echinops, hidden paths and vistas open up enticing you on further to explore the garden.
A hardwood deck seating area within the middle of the garden, secluded by tall, lush evergreen bamboos enjoys the late afternoon and evening sun and provides a perfect place for eating outdoors
At the back of the garden the path rises up a series of cedar clad steps along an elevated woodland walk to a central set of steps that bring you down again to a large brick edged circular lawn surrounded by mature Norwegian maple, Mountain Ash and Hornbeam.
