CONCRETE & STONEWORK
PRIVATE LANDSCAPING PROJECT, HERTFORDSHIRE Transforming an unkempt 200-yearold walled garden into a desirable outdoor space that can be enjoyed all year round was the challenge presented to Haddonstone by one of their landscaping clients. BALI registered cast stone manufacturer Haddonstone was commissioned by their Hertfordshire-based client to transform a large residential garden. Haddonstone’s client had inherited the large walled garden when they purchased the property over 10 years ago. Whilst it certainly exuded charm, the client felt its original appearance was a little ‘scruffy’. The client wanted to incorporate stylish hard landscaping elements that would add structure, whilst enhancing and complementing the original design. The client originally worked on an outline design with a professional landscaper, before developing the plan to suit their individual tastes. They worked closely
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with Haddonstone to develop a bespoke design that provided both practicality and a sharp, polished look. The client chose Haddonstone’s products as a costeffective solution that offered highquality landscaping options that would work sympathetically with the original walled garden. The client was keen to create several strong focal points and to introduce pathways to encircle the lawn, allowing the garden to be enjoyed all year round. They were also keen to play with perspective - important because the garden is formed across a number of levels. Foremost, the client was keen to emphasize the significant redbrick entranceway to their garden, approached from a lower-level courtyard. Two existing original brick piers had crumbled and needed to be professionally restored by a specialist builder, so that
they seamlessly blended with the remaining wall. Haddonstone’s cast stone pier caps and ball finials were then chosen to sit on top of the restored gate piers to protect the bricks and to enhance the entranceway. Haddonstone then worked with the client to produce two sets of cast stone steps that lead up to the upper garden. From the courtyard, this cleverly gives the perspective of just one set of steps and reduced the need to excavate too much ground, thereby exposing the original wall to the risk of collapse by using forceful digging equipment. Inside the garden, a contemporary pool area was formed through combining Haddonstone cast stone steps, copings, a pool surround and additional pier caps and ball finials. The pool area was designed over three levels, using copings to skilfully incorporate the existing red brick wall.
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