The client had a kitchen extension which reduced the outdoor paving immediately outside of the bifold doors, meaning that when the doors were open, the path was too narrow. In addition, there were now three access points from the house to the garden, and the client wanted to make the garden inviting from all three.

The outdated paving was replaced with a combination of porcelain and clay pavers to provide a high-end finish at a mid-range cost. The amount of paving was “right-sized” to make it functional but not excessive. Dimensions were calculated to minimise cuts required, saving time and expense.

The rear of the house faces north-east, so a small patio area was created to capture the morning sun and provide a cooler spot in midsummer.

Planting beds were placed between the house and lawn to improve aesthetics from the house. Plants were chosen to suit the conditions, complement existing planting and provide year-round interest.

Another key objective was to connect the house to the existing outdoor dining area at the rear of the garden. Previously there was just grass, which reduced the amount of use the dining area received, and the grass got muddy in winter.

A path was introduced to connect the two areas, sited to provide interesting views from the house and to retain existing mature trees and shrubs. Materials were chosen to complement the existing paving, removing the need to replace it and reducing cost.

The client also wanted to reshape the lawn from a variety of curves into something more attractive and easier to maintain.

The solution was to create two overlapping rectangles of lawn area edged with reused setts, saving cost and making mowing and maintenance easier. The lawn shapes tie in with the rest of the garden, contributing to a much stronger rectilinear design. Having two areas of lawn also allows deeper areas of planting, avoiding the standard approach of plants around the edge and grass in the middle.