GARDEN DESIGN PORTFOLIO

Laura McKie Large and Small Home Garden Designer - Portfolio

A) Medium Sized Garden - Mediterranean Garden Design

Before	After

Although this was a relatively new house and the garden had been "done", the client had a new conservatory built and wanted to re-design the garden to give an easy maintenance "Mediterranean" design feel. Budget was limited so some of the existing materials needed to be kept, including the existing decked area.

First of all the large, overgrown and unmanageable corner of shrubs was thinned out, pruned and neatly surrounded with a semi circle of brick setts. Some of the existing shrubs were made use of elsewhere in the garden.

Picking up on the decked area in the other corner, more of the same decking was used to build a curved path from the utility room to the edge of the grass - giving an area to stand when using the washing line. This whole area was covered in gravel, giving an ideal area to situate pots, which can be changed with the seasons.

The existing grass was re-shaped giving a soft curved effect and edged again with brick setts for easy maintenance.

A patio and seating area was created using Indian stone and a raised bed was built with small seats incorporated into it. Keeping with the circular/soft lines, a water mill was included in the patio area.

Planting included 2 Cupressus Macrocarpa "Goldcrest" trees and in the raised bed Lavender, Rosemary and Salvia Officinalis Purpurascens were used for their scent and Penstemon Apple Blossom, Cistus and Nepeta for their rich warm Mediterranean colours.

B) Larger Garden - New Build and Design Child Outdoor Play Area

Before	After

This garden was brand new and just a muddy space. The client wanted:

• a garden that offered plenty of space for small children to ride tricycles up and down
• an outdoor child activity area
• seating and dining areas in order to make the most of the sun at all times of the day
• ease of maintenance as time for gardening was at a premium

Firstly the drainage issue had to be addressed as this had been a problem for a number of surrounding gardens - accordingly trenches were dug and drainage pipes were put in.

The main patio was built right across the back of the house to a depth of 3.5m. - giving plenty of space around the table and chairs.

A retaining wall was built using the same brick as the house, topped with York stone coping, flat so it could be used for extra seating during summer BBQ's. This also gave easy access to the planted bed running along it. Steps were incorporated as a focal point directly in front of the patio doors leading to the living room and integral spot lights were flush to each step.

Brick setts were used to run along the top edge of the grass, for ease of maintenance and artificial turf was used in the play area so the trampoline or climbing frame did not have to be moved. Lighting has been extensively used throughout the garden, for seating areas and feature plants.

Planting included Plieoblastus Auricomus around the child play area - this was planted with sheeting to avoid spread. A selection of Acers, Phormium Tenax Purpureum, Carex Buchananii and Stipa Giganteum for year round interest, Euonymus Fortunei, Salvia and Cordyline Australis "Torbay Dazzler" for year round colour, Liatris spicata, Kniphofia, Helechrysum Italicum and Geranium Macrorrhizum Ingerwersen's variety for summer colour.

Contact us to discuss your own small or home garden design project.

Laura McKie - Large and Small Home Garden Designer