It’s a shame to waste space in a garden, but so often there is an area beside the house that becomes redundant, especially if it’s close to a wall. We like to see maximum use of all the space available and this design really illustrates how this can be achieved.
The Challenge
Our brief was to use a wide variety of different materials – you should find plenty of ideas here. Our client wanted to create an area to sit in, and relax, an outdoor room. It needed to look interesting, and attractive from the dining room, where they spent a lot of their time.
Designing the Garden
We decided to really push it with this design. Normally we would advise you not to overcomplicate things by using too many different materials. However this client wanted variety – so variety they got! We opted to use decking, flagstones, slate, concrete block, brick and water!
We thought that this outdoor room would work best built into the bank, as this offers more privacy and a greater sense of seclusion. Deck planks laid at angles add interest to the eye.
We also had the idea of a small waterfall falling into a pond below. This adds the sound of trickling water. Water is such a great medium to work with – whether still or moving, it gives so many possibilities.
Construction
For the waterfall feature we used a series of slate shelves embedded in to the wall. In this garden the walls were built using concrete blocks which were then rendered and painted. They were finished off with brick headers. Attractive, without being nearly as expensive as solid-stone or brick.
Duckweed on the surface partially obscures the light, alluding to another world lurking beneath the ripples.
Tips from the Design Team
- This project involved the excavation of over 60 tons of material. Before you consider this type of design make sure that your access allows entry of a mechanical digger. Digging out by hand would add hugely to the cost and be extremely hard work.
- Check on the suitability of the bricks for use in the garden, prior to ordering. Some can suffer from frost damage, when water gets into the surface, freezes and expands.
