A carefully prepared Change of Use planning application justified the proposed development of farmland as a new domestic garden. My design drawings explained the project in sufficient detail to satisfy the local planning authority, whose conditional Planning Approval released the half acre field for development as an ambitious garden with essential timber buildings.
My clients had acquired this area of grazing field to extend their property's original garden ground. The land was needed to realise their horticultural ambition - the creation of a handsome large garden.
To preserve the expansive southerly views across Scottish Borders farmland, the design carefully integrates the new garden with the surrounding landscape. Contained within a new native-species perimeter hedge, the garden includes a formal lawn beyond its layered planting of shrubs, choice trees and perennial flowers.
When designing this large garden, I considered the visual effects of distance and scale. Plant structure, textural qualities and seasonal colours are deployed boldly to be legible from afar, while some distant areas of the garden remain hidden from view, inviting exploration and discovery.
The extensive garden's walking surfaces and structures are welcoming and generous in scale. The conveniently positioned greenhouse and shed were built together as an attractive unified timber structure of an appropriate scale for the setting. Paths are edged in 'hand-waled' whin stones and surfaced with whin chips, all sourced economically from the local quarry.
After two summers the plants are well established, the timber buildings are silvering, and the new garden has acquired some sheltered corners.
I designed the 15m2 timber shed as a self-build project for my client. Materials were sourced from local timber specialists and assembled following my detailed construction drawings. The rainscreen is of Borders larch heartwood, just tall enough to receive the Thermowood® greenhouse delivered and erected by its specialist manufacturer.
Close to the kitchen, this convenient patio space comfortably accommodates a large hardwood table and the timber trellis panels which double as supports for airing laundry.
In this generous garden, plant species are grouped together as multiples, appropriate in scale and convenient to maintain. In mixed planting groups species with varied growth rates need more intervention to maintain their intended balance.