I design gardens and landscapes as part of the wider architecture of a site, so the outdoor space and the building are considered together rather than separately. I am a keen gardener myself, and I value green space and easy access to nature in every project, from a small planted courtyard to a garden that runs the length of a plot. Good outdoor space changes how a home feels to live in, and I design it to be used and enjoyed through the year.
What I cover
- Garden layouts and planting schemes for new and existing homes.
- Planting plans worked around colour, season and the aspect of each part of the garden.
- Hard landscaping: terraces, paths, steps, edging, boundaries and changes of level.
- Garden buildings: pavilions, garden rooms and outbuildings, with the planning route to suit.
- Landscaping and planting schemes prepared to discharge a planning condition on a permitted scheme.
- Landscape design that supports a change of use or a wider development.
- Garden and landscape work to listed buildings and in conservation areas, where heritage controls apply.
- Outdoor spaces that connect a house or extension to its garden.
How I approach it
I start with how the space is used and how it relates to the building and its setting. I set out levels, routes and the structure of the garden early, so the bones of the design are right before the detail goes in.
Planting is where a garden comes to life, so I choose it with care. I plan a colour scheme that holds together across the year, with something to look at in every season, from spring bulbs to winter structure and bark. I match each plant to the aspect of the part of the garden it sits in, so sun-loving planting goes where it gets the light and shade-tolerant planting goes where it does not, and I take account of the soil, the exposure and how much upkeep you want.
For the hard surfaces I combine materials so they sit well together and with the house: paving, gravel, brick, timber and metal edging, chosen for how they look, wear and drain. I think about how a terrace meets the lawn, how steps handle a change of level, and how repeating a material can tie the garden back to the building.
Throughout, I take account of any planning, conservation, listed building or designated-landscape constraints that affect the work, and where a project benefits from it I work alongside a planning consultant. I then develop the design to the detail needed to build it.
Planning and consents for landscape work
Not every garden project needs permission, but several do, and getting the route right early saves time and cost.
- Garden buildings, larger outbuildings, decking and bigger changes of level can need planning permission rather than falling under permitted development.
- Listed buildings and conservation areas carry extra controls, and a garden building or hard landscaping can need listed building consent as well as full planning permission.
- Rural sites can fall within a National Landscape (formerly an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), where the bar for design and materials is higher.
- A mature garden may have trees protected by a tree preservation order (TPO) or by conservation area status, which affects what can be removed or worked near.
- Where a permission already carries a landscaping condition, I prepare and submit the planting and landscaping scheme needed to discharge it.
- For a scheme that is finely balanced, I can submit it to the council for pre-application advice first, to test the principle before a full application.
I advise on which of these applies and prepare the drawings and documents for the route that fits.