Garden Tour: A Shallow Plot Gains Depth and an Entertaining Space
This U-shaped garden was overgrown and impractical. Now it flows organically and includes new sociable features
When designer Simon Orchard first visited this tricky-shaped Hampshire garden, it was badly overgrown and – despite being large – felt smaller than its size. “It was scrappy and not particularly well laid out,” he says, describing how dense foliage in the wide, shallow strip at the back of the house encroached on the space.
As well as tackling the layout and planting, the owners asked for an entertaining space that would appeal to adults as well as the couple’s teenage children. They also wanted a covered bar in the mix, so Simon designed in a showstopping outbuilding, plus the husband was keen to install a hot tub.
The finished result is a cohesive planting scheme that lets in the landscape beyond, and a fabulous entertaining area that cleverly blends with the aesthetic of the garden as a whole.
As well as tackling the layout and planting, the owners asked for an entertaining space that would appeal to adults as well as the couple’s teenage children. They also wanted a covered bar in the mix, so Simon designed in a showstopping outbuilding, plus the husband was keen to install a hot tub.
The finished result is a cohesive planting scheme that lets in the landscape beyond, and a fabulous entertaining area that cleverly blends with the aesthetic of the garden as a whole.
As the most accessed and visible part of the garden, this wide but shallow area at the back of the house (seen here before work began) was one of two areas Simon focused his redesign on (we’ll come to the other shortly).
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In this ‘before’ photo taken from the other end of the back area, you can see how solid and tall the planting running along the boundary was. “It felt as if the shrubs were coming down on you and making the space feel a lot smaller,” Simon says.
Now, after Simon’s work, the view and sense of space here are transformed. By reducing the density of planting as well as its height, he’s opened up this part of the garden, giving it a lighter feel and lots of interest.
Highlights in the planting here include the yellow Achillea ‘Moonshine’, some Armeria maritima (also known as sea thrift because it’s often found along the coast) and Stachys byzantina, aka lamb’s ear, with its silvery-green foliage. Stipa gigantea is the tall grass at the back, which adds height without blocking the view.
Highlights in the planting here include the yellow Achillea ‘Moonshine’, some Armeria maritima (also known as sea thrift because it’s often found along the coast) and Stachys byzantina, aka lamb’s ear, with its silvery-green foliage. Stipa gigantea is the tall grass at the back, which adds height without blocking the view.
Take a few steps back from the previous view and an Alchemilla mollis, with its scalloped leaves and frothy, acid green flowers, and a Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’ shrub come into view in the foreground.
The new beds on this side of the lawn are curved. “Because it’s such a long border, this works better at breaking up the space,” Simon explains.
The new beds on this side of the lawn are curved. “Because it’s such a long border, this works better at breaking up the space,” Simon explains.
As well as the curved main border, Simon incorporated three circular beds in the lawn. One can be seen here, filled with Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ grass and Verbena bonariensis. When looking at the plan (scroll down), this bed is the one at the top right of the drawing.
Here’s another of the beds, this time filled with Miscanthus ‘Morning light’, a grass that will eventually reach head height. “When these photos were taken, it was very early doors for this garden,” Simon says. “It’s in its first season.”
Simon brought the planting right up to the house, with semi-evergreen Anemanthele lessoniana (pheasant’s tail grass) creating a soft border on one side of a new chipped grey limestone path.
“I put this in so it wasn’t just one giant border,” Simon says. “It gives you the opportunity to get immersed in the planting as you walk along it; you pass lavender and can run a hand through the grass. It makes it a bit more of an immersive experience.”
The terrace that runs around the house is original, but Simon created the two steps down to allow easier access from the bifold doors (out of shot).
“I put this in so it wasn’t just one giant border,” Simon says. “It gives you the opportunity to get immersed in the planting as you walk along it; you pass lavender and can run a hand through the grass. It makes it a bit more of an immersive experience.”
The terrace that runs around the house is original, but Simon created the two steps down to allow easier access from the bifold doors (out of shot).
Next to the terrace is a newly reconfigured area for a hot tub. An olive tree sits on its corner in a giant Corten steel planter.
From here you can really see what a difference the lighter boundary planting has made. “The location is fairly rural and there’s lots of open space around. The house is on a ridge that looks down to Portsmouth,” Simon says. It’s this ‘borrowed’ landscape that really helps the garden to feel larger, as it claims the trees, greenery and sky beyond.
From here you can really see what a difference the lighter boundary planting has made. “The location is fairly rural and there’s lots of open space around. The house is on a ridge that looks down to Portsmouth,” Simon says. It’s this ‘borrowed’ landscape that really helps the garden to feel larger, as it claims the trees, greenery and sky beyond.
The plan of the whole plot, with the house in the middle and driveway at the bottom, makes sense of this wraparound space.
What you’ve just been looking at is the area at the top of this drawing, which runs along the back of the house. The area on the right, where the lawn continues around the corner to the front of the house, doesn’t feature in this set of pictures, but continues the theme set by the new ‘back’ garden shown above.
To the left of the house is the other area that got the full Simon treatment. Previously, the area was just a swathe of block paving that the owners barely used; now it’s become a terrace for entertaining that steps down to a deck containing the hot tub.
What you’ve just been looking at is the area at the top of this drawing, which runs along the back of the house. The area on the right, where the lawn continues around the corner to the front of the house, doesn’t feature in this set of pictures, but continues the theme set by the new ‘back’ garden shown above.
To the left of the house is the other area that got the full Simon treatment. Previously, the area was just a swathe of block paving that the owners barely used; now it’s become a terrace for entertaining that steps down to a deck containing the hot tub.
Simon created a decorative pergola, painted in anthracite grey and complete with festoon lighting, to frame the semi-sunken hot tub.
Designboard decking; Florence Grey porcelain paving, all London Stone.
Designboard decking; Florence Grey porcelain paving, all London Stone.
The hot tub deck steps up to a new entertainment area, created on what had been an unused area of block paving on the left-hand side of the house. Simon retained the original paving.
“In the brief, the couple said they wanted an outdoor covered bar and I proposed we crane in a shipping container and convert it,” Simon says. “You see quite a lot of these as retail units, bars and restaurants, but I’d never seen one in a garden. I felt it would be a bit of a showstopper – and it has real wow factor.”
Simon gave his clients the idea and they organised the container themselves and worked with a carpenter to convert it. It’s painted anthracite grey to tie in with the fences and pergola.
The bar has a wildflower roof that not only looks great from the house, but provides some insulation in winter and helps to make the container cooler in summer.
Simon gave his clients the idea and they organised the container themselves and worked with a carpenter to convert it. It’s painted anthracite grey to tie in with the fences and pergola.
The bar has a wildflower roof that not only looks great from the house, but provides some insulation in winter and helps to make the container cooler in summer.
The views across the garden from the bar are lovely. In the foreground, you can see Geranium ‘Rozanne’, with lavender ‘Hidcote’ beyond.
The interior and some of the exterior are clad in reclaimed floorboards.
An aerial view shows how the two new zones are connected. Raised beds in painted, rendered blockwork flank the steps.
At the far end of the bar, an evergreen Portuguese laurel hedge screens the driveway. Giant freestanding planters frame the structure – the one seen here in the foreground contains a hydrangea.
Freestanding planters, Atelier Vierkant. Sofa and dining set, clients’ own.
Tell us…
What do you like best about Simon’s design? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
At the far end of the bar, an evergreen Portuguese laurel hedge screens the driveway. Giant freestanding planters frame the structure – the one seen here in the foreground contains a hydrangea.
Freestanding planters, Atelier Vierkant. Sofa and dining set, clients’ own.
Tell us…
What do you like best about Simon’s design? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple with older children
Location Fareham, Hampshire
Property A modern detached house
Garden dimensions 45m x 50m approx at longest and widest points (it’s a U-shape that wraps around the house)
Designer Simon Orchard of Simon Orchard Garden Design