The Common

This busy family of six were fed up with their unloved garden which had become more of a place for their dog to hang out than them. With wall to wall glass at the back of the house it was important that the space not only tied in with the stylish interior but that the garden became a genuine feature of the home whether you were in it or looking at it from inside. Our brief was to create a light, modern, impactful space that focussed on entertaining but still felt private…it had to have the wow factor but also a touch of femininity and nature. With 4 kids and a dog it also had to be low maintenance!

The design includes a secluded dining area to seat 12 with bespoke furniture and an outdoor fireplace with (possibly the first!) outdoor fender seat for those frequently chilly summer’s evenings. A bespoke hardwood room divider and wood store separates the dining space and an outdoor kitchen kitted out with a 5 burner gas BBQ and unique granite worktop. We ensured the room divider included a handy serving hatch…of course.

Three large olive planters create a pop of colour and screen the outdoor kitchen from the house. The decking, all composite for easy maintenance, stretches along the entire width of the house with plenty of room for yoga, etc. The slate and gravel create an interesting walkway and highlight the fireplace feature and beautiful silver birch, lit by fairy lights or up-lighters depending on the occasion. The sizeable lawn is framed by a gravel and traditional style planting. Many of the mature shrubs were kept and/or moved and gave a good backdrop for a pink/white planting theme. The large raised planter contains a showy and packed explosion of roses and herbaceous perennials including Achillea millefolium ‘Apfelblute’ and Astrantia major ‘Venice’

The garden was built for us during an everlasting winter by the fantastic team at Bumar Gardens www.bumargardens.co.uk. Bespoke furniture and room divider produced by Grain Bespoke Furniture www.grainbespokefurniture.co.uk.


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