In 2010, I completed a minimalist garden design in Harston, Cambridge. This garden is featured in the portfolio section of my website and was featured in the Garden Design Journal magazine, much to the excitement of the owners!
The simplicity and austerity of this small garden, shown in the completed images belies the difficulty of the design and build of this garden.
The clients were very organised and had compiled a file of images and style of garden they admired, so I knew that the design would be simple and minimalist.
After struggling to survey around building materials, trenches and machinery and hampered by the obligatory rain shower, I set to work on the design.
The resulting design was simple in its conception, a large terrace at interior floor level and of similar material, spilled out seamlessly through the sliding glass doors. This was separated from a line of three Amelanchier trees by a one metre wide rill running almost the width of the garden. The rill was positioned for internal division and to cast reflection onto the interior ceiling.
The austerity of the scheme was enhanced by the use of shades of grey on paving, rendered boundary wall and raised beds. Similarly, the planting palette used only a shubby honeysuckle, to be clipped into cloud forms, yew hedge and a small prostrate silver Hebe pinguifolia .
From the moment the garden was approved by the clients, I knew this would be a special garden. It now, just needed to be built.
