Aralia have been asked to create a garden overhaul for a family who live in an oak-beamed cottage in a rural location, but who have a love of bright clean contemporary style and open plan living. The current cramped patio and lumpy lawn didn’t suit their way of living, as they enjoy holding large parties, and hanging out as a family. Their two children are quite far apart in age and so had different requirements from the space, and the clients are away a lot over the summer so the design had to take that into account whilst also creating a wow factor.

Aralia’s design features crisp clean lines, softened by mature planting and materials to fit the setting. The main focus is a sheltered entertaining zone, with a backdrop of timber detailing with lights to create a wow factor right into the evenings. Planting is restrained and stylish, with a limited palette of greens and whites and a focus on texture and a high level of evergreen to look good all year round. To enhance the boundaries, a mix of hedging, pleached trees and art panels contrast with dark stained fencing. Children’s play and chillout zones are separated from the entertaining area whilst still forming part of the garden.

To give the clients a sense of arrival, the side facade of the building is softened and enhanced with pleached trees, whilst a gravel garden at the front provides a low maintenance yet stylish entrance.

Outdoor kitchen, Oak Shelter, Entertaining area, BBQ, Gravel garden, Chillout zone, Trampoline, Garden lighting, Art Panels, Pleached Trees