This large garden needed a striking feature to make sense of the area away from the main garden, (formerly a horse Manège).

The clients also wanted a chill-out zone in contrast to the formality of the garden area nearer the house.

The main design concept was to have a dramatic water feature, combined with a seating area and dramatic planting. This was achieved by applying the principle of two large circular ponds defined by inter-linking timber-sleeper pathways.

The paved area was achieved using large stone off-cuts laid in an informal manner (with little or no pointing between) to allow for herbs and grasses to be planted in the gaps, and to be allowed to colonise (thyme, sage, liriope, carex etc).

The clients had requested an informal fire pit, which was achieved simply by leaving a gap with no paving. The idea to sit around the fire on chilly evenings, a natural way to extend the hours of enjoyment to be had in the garden.

The planting was mostly native species, larger trees being oak, rowan, hawthorn and Scots pine. The shrubs chosen were yew, holly, cornus, field maple and a number of native wild roses.