About This Project

This small urban back garden was looking tired and unloved. It is enclosed by a combination of high fences and garage walls and although these provided excellent privacy, the space felt a little claustrophobic. There was certainly no incentive for the owners to spend time out of doors enjoying their garden. A new, more contemporary garden design soon changed that!

The client brief

Our clients wanted a contemporary garden design that would make their garden feel bigger, brighter and more inviting. They wanted to be able to entertain in their outdoor room as well as simply relaxing in the sunshine.

The garden makeover

There were relatively few features in this garden to clear away. This meant that our landscaping team was quickly able to get stuck into the transformation.  First up was to make sure that the fence was uniformly strong before we gave it a dramatic black stain.

This contemporary garden design called for a strong, but limited colour pallet to lend real visual impact. Blacks, greys and greens are interspersed with an occasional blast of white flowers.

Where a rickety shed once stood, we created a secluded seating area. This is surrounded by a modern timber screen to give a light, bright feel to it.  This lovely sun trap cannot be seen from the house and could be used for entertaining, for relaxing or even for working from home when the weather is nice.

The garage walls are of course a fixed feature. We fixed a beautifully shaped trellis to one and planted scented climbing plants to soften the brickwork. On the opposite side of the garden, we planted lollipop bay trees for the ultimate in contemporary garden design. When lit up at night they cast the most amazing shadows.

A large patio was created using silver grey porcelain paving from Bradstone. To add interest we shied away from the standard rectangular design and instead created a more contemporary look by cutting “inlets” that could be planted.  This is a contemporary garden design technique to make a space feel larger.

The planting

A new lawn is the centrepiece of the garden.  The fence line at the bottom of the garden has been softened with planting. Eucalyptus gunnii trees planted in a symmetrical pattern contrast wonderfully with the black fence. Their blue-grey foliage is perfect for our colour scheme and as an added bonus, the leaves give off a wonderful scent when crushed.

As well as the trees there are architectural grasses and evergreen shrubs.  Strategically placed agapanthus plants have strappy leaves and striking white lollipop-shaped flowers to mirror the shape of the bay trees.

Would your outdoor space benefit from a contemporary garden design like this?  The Holland Landscapes team are here to help. Contact us today to discuss your ideas.