Timeless Charm
Project Year: 2024
Location: North Scarle, Lincolnshire
Time to Complete: 6 weeks
The Brief
The aim of this project was to transform the garden into an attractive, practical and welcoming outdoor space that would complement the character of the property while providing plenty of opportunities for relaxation and entertaining.
An important consideration was incorporating the existing paving directly outside the house and the existing summer house into the new design, ensuring that these features remained an integral part of the finished garden.
The design needed to introduce a generous lawn, additional seating areas, attractive planting and contemporary features, while creating a natural flow between the different parts of the garden. Privacy was also an important consideration, along with creating a sheltered area where the clients could sit comfortably and enjoy their surroundings.
The overall objective was to create a garden that balanced traditional materials with contemporary features, providing an attractive outdoor space that could be enjoyed throughout the seasons.
The Design
One of the key elements of this project was making the most of the features already in place.
The existing paving outside the house provided a substantial patio area, creating an ideal starting point for the design. Rather than replacing this, the new landscaping was carefully planned to extend and complement it and create the sense of continuity throughout the garden. The warm, natural tones of the paving work particularly well with the brickwork of the property, creating an established and welcoming appearance.
The existing summer house was another important feature to retain. Its position within the garden helped shape the overall layout, allowing the surrounding areas to be redesigned while maintaining its character and usefulness. By working around these established elements, the design creates a cohesive space where the existing and new features sit comfortably together.
One of the most attractive additions to the garden is the contemporary white pergola. Positioned towards the rear of the garden, this creates a dedicated seating area that feels separate from the main patio while remaining connected to the rest of the space. The pergola incorporates horizontal slatted screening, which provides privacy and shelter without making the area feel enclosed. Its crisp white finish contrasts beautifully with the surrounding greenery and timber fencing, creating a fresh, contemporary appearance. Comfortable seating, including a suspended egg chair, makes this an inviting place to relax, read or enjoy a quiet moment in the garden. The surrounding mature trees provide a beautiful natural backdrop, with their foliage helping to create a peaceful and sheltered atmosphere. The result is a relaxing retreat that makes excellent use of a previously underutilised part of the garden.
A generous lawn forms the central feature of the garden, providing an open, green space that balances the surrounding hard landscaping. Its simple shape creates a feeling of openness, while the carefully designed curved planting borders introduce softer lines and visual interest. The lawn also provides a practical area for everyday use, whether relaxing, entertaining or enjoying time outdoors. The contrast between the green lawn, warm paving and colourful planting creates a balanced design that feels both structured and natural. The layout allows the eye to travel across the garden towards the different seating areas, making the space feel connected and inviting.
Planting plays an important role in softening the landscaping and bringing the garden to life. A combination of ornamental grasses, flowering perennials and structured shrubs has been used to create a varied and attractive planting scheme. The curved border surrounding the feature area provides a particularly effective contrast to the straight lines of the paving and pergola. Purple and blue flowering plants introduce colour, while ornamental grasses add movement and texture. Lower-growing plants help fill the spaces between the larger specimens, creating a layered effect that will become more established as the planting matures. Small, rounded evergreen shrubs provide structure along the edge of the patio, helping to define the transition between the paved area and lawn. The planting has been arranged to provide seasonal interest while maintaining a relatively manageable garden.
A striking polished stainless steel sphere forms the centrepiece of one of the garden's main planting borders.
Surrounded by smooth decorative pebbles and carefully selected plants, the reflective surface creates an eye-catching focal point. The sphere reflects the surrounding garden, including the sky, trees and property, bringing another dimension to the design. Its smooth, contemporary finish contrasts with the softer textures of the planting and the natural tones of the paving. The curved border helps draw attention towards the feature, while the surrounding plants provide a colourful and attractive setting. This is an excellent example of how a carefully positioned feature can add personality and visual interest without overwhelming the garden.
Privacy was an important part of the design, particularly around the new seating areas. Horizontal timber screening has been incorporated along sections of the boundary, creating a contemporary finish that complements the pergola. The natural timber tones work well with the paving and surrounding greenery, while helping to create a more enclosed and comfortable garden environment. A screened utility area has also been incorporated, providing a practical space for bins and other everyday necessities without detracting from the appearance of the garden. These details help ensure that the finished design is not only attractive but also practical for everyday living.
The success of this garden lies in the way the different elements work together. The existing patio and summer house have been retained and incorporated into the overall layout, while the new pergola, lawn, planting and feature areas bring a fresh sense of purpose to the space. The warm paving tones provide continuity with the property, while the white pergola and reflective sphere introduce contemporary touches. Curved borders soften the design, and the combination of colourful planting, ornamental grasses and mature trees creates a welcoming atmosphere. Each area has its own purpose, yet the garden feels connected and balanced.
This project demonstrates how an existing garden can be transformed without the need to replace everything already in place. By retaining the original paving and summer house, the design builds upon the garden's established features while introducing new areas for relaxation and enjoyment. The contemporary pergola provides a sheltered retreat, the generous lawn creates an open and versatile space, and the carefully considered planting brings colour, movement and texture. The reflective sphere adds a distinctive finishing touch, while the timber screening provides privacy and a practical solution for everyday garden storage.
The result is a beautifully balanced garden that combines traditional materials with contemporary design, creating a space that feels welcoming, practical and full of character. A garden designed for everyday living, where existing features and thoughtful new additions come together to create a beautiful outdoor space for relaxing and entertaining.