A TOWN GARDEN FOR GROWN UPS - TUNBRIDGE WELLS

We have recently been working on a project in the centre of Tunbridge Wells where the space is just under 100sqm. It’s a nice terraced house with a part walled garden, mainly laid to lawn, with a small terrace you’d find it hard to fit a table and chairs on. The customer was hankering after a view from the kitchen/living space on his lower ground floor. He appreciates art and nice things and has an eclectic appreciation of things, whether they are modern, or classical. He and his family also wanted to be able to sit in the garden, both to entertain and escape from the hustle and bustle of town living. On his wish list were such things as a nice table and chairs, garden lighting, a water feature and a bench. He also wanted a low maintenance planting solution.

So we set about redesigning the plot. Inspiration came from the work of Sir Roy Strong and his incredible space at The Laskett Gardens, see www.thelaskett.org.uk .The finished design incorporated a new limestone paved terrace with contrasting sett borders in black limestone. This leads onto a gravelled courtyard bordered by metal edging, with a central water feature created for us by Capital Garden Products   www.capital-garden.com  finished in a distressed copper. Facing this is an arbour with a bespoke curved mirror designed by us and beautifully created by Aldgate Home  www.aldgatehome.com. also finished in distressed copper. Apart from being rather attractive the mirror also bounces back light into the garden and creates new perspectives.  A very individual bench was sourced by the team and painted in a dramatic turquoise finish. 

To help give the garden a greater sense of seclusion and also unify the space a white trellising was fitted along three boundaries. This provides the backdrop for the planting and a series of matching norman planters, and a central urn on a pedestal planted with an evergreen fern creating an arresting focal point from the house.

To help give the garden a dramatic effect in the evening we planned in ground lighting at key positions, plus wall lights and down lights under the arbour.

Completing the picture we sourced a beautiful set of garden furniture from the Heveningham Collection www.heveningham.co.uk  in black powder coated iron with contrasting cushions and a granite top.