This blank canvas plot had lots of potential, it was backed by a green backdrop of trees and attached to the rear of a traditional style stone cottage. As an enclosed space it naturally felt cocooning but a little unloved.

 

With a hectic life my client longed for a romantic cottage garden. Somewhere to escape to, leaving the world behind. A place to sit, read and appreciate the movement, scent, colours and natural world of the garden.

 

The brief required an area for their dogs to enjoy a sniff around outdoor that was separate from the main garden yet attached to the French doors. Water, scented climbers, natural stone and sitting areas for different times of the day were all requested.

 

The challenge for this design was integrating the dog friendly space into the wider cottage garden and it still feel romantic and coherent. Reflecting the stone of the house and local landscape, a dry-stone wall divides the garden lengthways. A water tough straddles the two areas of the garden linking them visually together. This ensured the movement and sound of water can be enjoyed from all areas of the garden, even indoors. A tapestry of green planting softens the wall and marries with the planting in the wider garden. Oak rose covered arches thread through the garden framing views and creating secluded spaces for sitting. Trees have been added to add height, shade and to merge with the trees to the rear boundary. The planting is unashamedly feminine, soft and billowing, creating a swooning romantic atmosphere.

 

A garden with strong structure which has been overlaid with immersive romantic cottage planting to create an atmosphere of relaxed natural charm.