Natural Cottage Garden
We are not often asked to design a garden in such a way that it looks as if it had never been landscaped before. This project was, in a sense, unique because it required a completely different approach that we hadn't used before.
Our clients often want their garden to look modern and new. In this case, the client's recommendation was clear, 'we want a natural-looking garden that looks as if it has not been touched for many years', and so we did our best to make it look natural and rustic with country-style elements.
The Site
This was a front, back garden and driveway renovation project within a local village in Fife. The owner was happy with the layout of his garden and did not want to change much of it. It was particularly important to him to choose suitable material for paths, patio and driveway that would match his garden's house and cottage character.
The Client
The owners wanted to replace old-looking slabs with new natural sandstone paving suitable for the cottage garden style. They wanted to have space where they could entertain the family that is practical and easy to maintain.
The Design
We kept the layout of the front and back gardens as it was. We put a new turf on the top level of the back garden and repainted the existing garden shed.
The garden's lower level was paved with Marshall Fairstone Setts, Split & Tumbled Autumn Bronze, and mixed with natural sandstone paving to create a large new patio area for a table, sofa and fire pit. By combining these two materials, we wanted to break up straight lines in the design, add more interest, texture and make that small space feels larger. New individually selected stoned steps were also added, which lead up to the upper level of the garden.
During the project, the customer also asked us to supply and fit a driveway gate matching the design. We decided to go for a stunning looking Aldeburgh gate, all made from iroko timber, supplied by Countryside Quality Gates and Fencing.
The stoned wall along the driveway has also been repaired and cleaned up.
As for the planting scheme, we decided to incorporate as many existing plants as possible. We planted most of the existing greenery in different plant pots due to the small size of the garden. Pots with various plants were placed in different parts of the garden, which was a great way to fill out space, add charm and create that lush look characteristic for the cottage garden.
