This large garden needed a striking feature to make sense of the area away from the main garden, which was formerly a horse manège.

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

The main design concept was to create a dramatic water feature, combined with a seating area and bold planting. This was achieved by using two large, circular ponds defined by interlinking timber-sleeper pathways.

The paved area was created using large stone offcuts laid informally, with little or no pointing between them, allowing herbs and grasses to be planted in the gaps and to colonise. These included thyme, sage, liriope and carex.

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

The planting consisted mostly of native species. The larger trees included oak, rowan, hawthorn and Scots pine, while the chosen shrubs included yew, holly, cornus, field maple and several native wild roses.