Gardens for the modern family

For the modern family a usable garden is a valuable space. In this Bishopston garden, our clients asked us to provide space for their two young boys to play football. Also on the design brief was somewhere for the parents to take a break and a well-earned rest; very important as any parent will testify. Because we wanted to give the boys maximum lawn area for games, we decided to make full use of the corners of the garden to accommodate the other features.

Starting at the back door, a large patio was laid, with a curved and stepped front edge leading directly down on to the lawn. Old Victorian bricks were reused to form the step, and Indian sandstone was used for the paving. A curved bench/raised planter was added to the side of the patio as a permanent seat. A compact lavender Hidcote hedge was planted along the top of the seat for summer scent with crocosimia lucifer behind for added drama. As well as providing a central lawn, we were asked to create a more adventurous space for playing in.

Placed in the rear right hand corner and approached along a curved gravel path, the original design was for a raised tree house. This was simplified to a bark play area and was screened from the main garden by a stepped log wall, which means the kids can have a private space to play. A timber double beam cantilever drops into this area forming an “archway � entrance over the path. As it projects over the bark, the beam supports a monkey bar ending in a thick jute climbing rope. The timber screen also gives a kick-up wall for footballs on the lawn side.

The gravel path continues past the back gate and ends in a calm corner seating area under an existing cherry tree. This corner catches the evening sun and has raised beds that double as seats. Made from oak sleepers, these are planted with a variety of grasses. Although in full view of the garden, this area is ideal for a quiet evening of chilling out. In the fourth corner of the garden there was a small Victorian privy attached to the house. We replaced the leaky roof with a flat grass one and added a new timber door, which was stained g reen.

The boys often climbed on to the original roof for fun, so the grass provided a more comfortable perch.

We attached a pergola to the front of the shed and fixed a few horizontal timbers to the side of the pergola, which act as ladder rungs. This makes it possible for the boys to climb up and over the pergola to reach the grass roof. A wisteria sinensis has also started to climb the pergola, under which is a stone barbecue bench made from three large coping stones found in the garden, supported on white rendered piers. The garden has been well used in the two seasons since we finished it and the four corner features have enabled the family to make maximum use of their good-sized town garden. http://www.allgardendesigns.co.uk/