David Johnson Garden Design and Consultancy

A large garden, located to the rear of a corner property in rural Berkshire (with a steep slope that had not previously been landscaped)

This project was both interesting and demanding. It is located to the rear of a property forming the corner plot of a beautiful mews development in rural Berkshire. The existing garden contained some peripheral planting, and a small greenhouse and utility area, but was otherwise set to grass. A gradual slope leads down to woodland at the north eastern end of the garden, but all along the north-facing boundary of the garden, a very steep slope, leading down to the extremity of the garden, had to be fenced off for safety. The area of the slope was large, meaning that a sizeable part of the garden was effectively unusable.

The following shots give an impression of the garden layout prior to the design and build:

Some planting was in place along the south eastern boundary, but this had become overcrowded in relatively small beds. The silver birch had died, and the trunk needed to be removed. Rhododendron filled woodland is evident at the far end of the garden.

The second shot above shows just how inacessible the existing slop was on the northern boundary. The trellis fencing had been partially removed by this stage, to give access to the bank, as the sycamore on the left of the shot was to be removed to make way for the pond.

The existing patio to the rear of the property was to be kept, but the utility area in the distance on the third shot above was to be developed during the design process, with suitable planting beneath the trees in the background which were to be kept.

The design itself was ambitious. The plot is effectively triangular, as is seen on the plan below. Given that this is a large garden, it was decided to create a "circuit" of the garden, with distinct areas as you travel around the garden. First of all, a level lawn was required. This was a challenge, given that no part of the plot was level. The new lawn was designed as a circular feature, the reason being that the new garden would contain three dominant circular features, a lawn, a pond and a new patio, located in a spot to maximise its exposure to sunlight.

The circular lawn was retained by 100mm diameter log rounds, giving the flexibility required to accommodate different heights all the way round the circle. To the northern edge of the circular lawn, a walkway of pergola type arches, to be overhung with a proliferation of various climbing plants, would lead to an area planted with cottage garden style plants, leading down a stepping stone pathway to the bottom of the steep slope.

The slope was to be heavily landscaped, with a pathway of crushed stone running along its length approximately three quarters of the way down the slope. Halfway along the path, a large circular pond, to be backed by a wall of upright 100mm diameter poles, and with a deck (of sleepers), would provide an informal seating and leisure area, effectively invisible from the house because of the slope. The pond area would be laid with stones and pebbles, and planted in a very natural style. The slope behind it would be planted with a good many shrubs for all-year colour and interest, to provide good coverage and keep maintenance requirements to a minimum once the plants had matured.

The pathway beyond the pond would lead back up the slope to the utility area. The ground beyond this would be stripped of grass, laid with shingle, and would be the location for the third circle, a patio created from Indian sandstone. Planting in this area would be much more modern in style, colourful, vibrant and structured.

The finished plan for the project is as follows;

The planting plan for the garden involved many varied types of plant, and in large number. The garden has a very large area, and the clients were happy to accept that the stock of plants would have to be built up over time as budget and practicality allowed. The intricate and complex planting plan looked as follows:

What I try to do with a planting plan is cover all bases. The above plan is a good case in point. It contains a very large number of plants, trees, shrubs, herbaceous and even suggestions for bulb planting. Clients are recommended to begin by planting the structural plants (trees and shrubs), then topping up with herbaceous and bulbs as time and budget allow. So effectively, the planting plan represents an ongoing project, an encouragement for customers to take ownership of their new garden and interact with it by being involved in the planting.

Garden Build

The  garden build was not without event as the design was quite complicated. In particular, grading and working with the steep bank was a challenge. The design called for a circular run of pergola type arches over a gravel walkway at the top of the bank, with a further walkway of crushed stone (hoggin) providing access to the pond at the bottom of the bank. It became apparent as soon as the existing lawn was lifted that much spoil from the build of the property had been buried in this corner of the development, and this had to be dug out to allow for the new features and planting.

Furthermore, topsoil was very thin, and large amounts of clay were found on site. Luckily, much of the planting intended for the bank and the garden in general comprised shrubs and trees, and good-sized planting pits were dug to give them a good start in what was not the most hospitable of environments. Herbaceous and more delicate planting was concentrated nearer the house, in areas where the soil had previously been cultivated, and therefore did not present a big problem.

The garden is developing very well, and the structure has proved appropriate for the location, opening up as it does areas of the garden that were not really used or accessible before. Having discussed the garden with the owners recently, it is still a work in progress, and cultivation and additional planting are ongoing. Some assistance has now been brought in to help with maintenance as both of the owners work full time, but this ensures that best use can be made of the garden in the free time available.

Some shots of the garden taken recently follow, and I have also included a further photo album of before, during and after shots of what has been one of the more challenging but I'm happy to say rewarding projects that I have undertaken.

Shots taken during summer 2008, second full season:

  Gravelled area and formal box planting  

Gravel walkway and pergola arches at edge of lawn

Planted bank and pond area

Deck over the pond with netting to keep predators off the fish

To Contact Me:

Phone: (01903) 891507

Mobile: 07765 114562

Email: downsscape@aol.com