I designed this fragrant garden for clients interested in the distinctive qualities that differentiate particular places and cultures. This is not a garden restoration, but a completely new garden informed by the past, specific to this part of Edinburgh New Town. Materials and design details reflect local precedent. Sandstone rubble and ashlar, paving and paths of Scottish sandstone and horonised whin stone, all built by local stonemasons, with wrought ironwork by local blacksmiths. An extraordinary personal walled garden, heady with the fragrance of roses and seasonal flowers.
The 'modernist' interior aesthetic of this contemporary family home is reflected in the garden's perpendicular asymmetry. Opened bi-fold doors unite interior and exterior spaces. The immediate connection with the house is integral to this garden's design. Geometric raised and recessed structures frame the organic forms and textures of the permanent planting. I designed this contemporary garden as a sequence of contrasting rectangular elements, with a separate lawn providing playspace for children.
Beginning with a green field, a well-prepared planning application for Change of Use unlocked the potential of this land to become an ambitious new garden. Generous planting beds for the intended new planting; new garden buildings; an extensive formal lawn; choice new trees. My design for this garden resolves the clients' wish to retain their panoramic southerly views while enjoying the challenges of large-scale gardening. The site layout and planting are designed for efficient management without provoking an excessive maintenance burden.
My clients were ready to build a glass-fronted house extension offering views across farmland, and a new detached storage building in their garden. The long narrow site presented practical issues to resolve in the garden's re-design. A successful design for this attractive, productive garden arose from research into aspects of the site, discussions with my clients and understanding limitations of the topsoil. Local landscape contractors constructed the garden. Planting by a specialist plant nursery.