Welcome to another project article in our Garden Design Portfolio Series.  This garden has been designed by Nicky Patterson and will be built by the team of garden designers and landscapers at GardenImprovements.com.

The design was commissioned by Robert B from Howwood near to Johnstone and Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland.His garden was a long neglected mish-mash of different ideas and DIY projects that didn’t quite ever gel together and had eventually been left to crumble and weed over.  It was a long and narrow plot

His brief is:

• To provide a large decked area suitable for hosting parties
  
• Tidy up the garden as a whole and conform it to an attractive design
  
• Provide a low maintenance solution for the whole space
• Provide some lawn areas for neices and nephews to play on
  
• He had a budget of £3-4K

My initial ideas for the garden design were to compliment the shape of the plot – Robert didn’t want the space to be divided up in the manner that it had been previously and wanted to view the whole area from the vantage of the requested deck area.  My use of diminishing circles accentuates the length of the garden certainly, but helps to lead the eye down and around the garden and take in the pleasure of the planting.  A path which leads to the shed will still invite visitors into the garden area.

The decking illustrated is quite large and provides plenty of space for tables, chairs, loungers and BBQ kits. Existing sandstone dyke beds will be left in situ and one of these will protrude through the deck creating a fantastic feature planter within the sun-bathing platform.  The mixture of sandstone and timber decking will look great!

The planting will be green and architectural for the most part which will burst through areas of beach pebble.  The circles will be concrete and painted in three shades of orange to suggest an exotic theme which will be reinforced by the planting.

The gravel path will provide a pleasant crunch underfoot as well as a nice contrast to the concrete edging and pebbled areas.

The lawn circles will help to soften and bind the whole garden together.  In the sunshine this garden will look superb and Robert will be keen to invite his friends and family round for BBQs and to enjoy the space.

Keep posted for the completed pictures of this project!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-07-22 07:45:33. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Peter and Julie M commissioned this design in Kelvindale near Hyndland in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland.  Their brief required:

• Removal of the square shapes and lines already established in the garden
• To create a fairly low maintenance space
• A flowing and soft design, no rigid or restricting lines

The garden consists mainly of lawn and has a considerable slope towards the house. Peter and Julie would like to retain the apple tree near the back of the garden, which will fit into the design perfectly.

The new design alters the entrance to the garden: as you come from the original decking at the house (bottom), steps lead you up to a pale sandstone patio and a sea-flint path which runs almost centrally through the garden and up into a purple slate shale seating circle where the apple tree stands.

Some terracing has been introduced in the for of steps so there will be three levels, the patio, the circle at the shed and the seating circle. The Sandstone patio is certainly big enough to hold a large table and chairs and some informal seating created by the steps should help if anyone is left out!

Hugging the seating circle is a reclaimed stone wall which tapers to ground level at the entrance – reinforcing the flow of the garden. Using the reclaimed stone will enhance a rural style and should appear to have been there as an old feature, as will the old apple tree and the wild flower turf used to border the central shape

The central circle will have the gravel path cutting through it and on the shed side will be cobbled to provide a solid surface for potting and accessing tools from the shed.  Opposite, a green slate shale planting bed provides an opportunity to add some intersting specimen plants – here I have suggested a corkscrew hazel as a centre piece.

Shrubs and ornamental grasses will fill out the beds and wild flower turf will add some seasonal variation  – this will be virtually maintenance free requiring a cut only ONCE a year!

Bursts of planting through the Slate Shale will create more dimension to the shapes and will draw the eye from the house toward the seating circle and apple tree. The materials and layout of the design will ensure Peter and Julie acquire a relaxing, flowing country-style garden to enjoy whilst not having to put in too much hard work maintaining it!

We are very excited about this project and hope to get it under-way in the very near future so keep an eye out for the finished pics!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-09-18 08:00:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This was commissioned by Burman R of a new build property in Elderslie, between Johnstone and Paisley in Renfrewshire, Scotland.

The plan radiates from a centre circular paving, creating different terraced areas at varying heights. Steps leading from the paved circle lead to the primary and secondary seating areas.

The retaining wall gives the garden structure and creates several different usable areas. Stone shale allows planting too shoot through and gives bursts of colour.

A better look at the primary seating area shows that it can easily accommodate a table and chairs, and with the secondary seating area sufficient enough for a bench there’s no chance of running out of entertaining space!

Paved access from the right hand side of the house continues the theme of the garden by using the same stone and edged with block. Slate shale beds provide a gentle contrast with the paved areas and a kitchen garden cutting through the paved access will allow for some herbs and veg to grow.

Keep posted for future blogs and completed pics of this project!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

Please check us out and connect with us at our profiles below!

Originally posted 2009-10-08 09:10:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Garden Design Portfolio Series:  This garden has been designed by Nicky Patterson and will be built by the team of garden designers and landscapers at GardenImprovements.com.

The design was commissioned by Dougie and Judith B from a new-build Stewart Milne estate in ‘new’ Jackton in East Kilbride near Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland. The garden is bare soil but has been ravaged by weeds and grass; it is short but wide and has a considerable slope up toward the back fence.

Their brief is:

• To provide an extension of their living space into the garden
• A simple “no-fuss” design
• A decked area that blended with the hardwood flooring of the house
• Some space for their 8 year old boy to kick a ball around
• Some degree of terracing to negotiate the steep slope of the plot

My initial idea was to provide a decked area outside of the French doors at the back of Dougie and Judith’s kitchen/living room, but had to play around with shapes and sizes until finding something that felt right.  I began with a cubic theme to the garden but then felt on reflection that curves would suit Dougie and Judith’s sense of style more.  Once confirmed the rest of the garden was structured around this circular deck which will be sunken to meet ground level.

To create the sense of space I’ve made a ‘fat’ end and a ‘thin’ end of the garden to offset the balance of the terracing required to deal with the slope by using a ‘football swerve’ curve for the retaining wall.  This is the ‘fat’ end and the terracing hugs the decked patio reinforcing the sense of comfort and security whilst also creating a sun-trap and wind sheltered area.

To create a focal point in the garden I have suggested a feature water-feature and rockery which will be planted appropriately with some yuccas, grasses and architectural shrubs.  This offers the garden a focal point whilst also providing some pleasant green foliage and the sound of trickling water.

The raised beds around the decking will give Dougie and Judith some eye-level foliage whilst providing some shelter and privacy and a suitable entrance into the lounging space.  The sloped lawn is a feature in itself but also removes the requirement for steps and offers some footballing adventures – two ticked boxes from the brief then!

The mixture of dark hardwood decking boards and the pale travertine paving cut to shape will be a fine contrast and the whole design is brought together by the white dry-cast walls through out the space.  A lavender bed will be planted beside the decking to mirror the hard-landscaping of the raised stone beds and also to merge the lower tier of the garden perfectly with the upper.

Unfortunately we did not win this contract, being pipped by one of our rival firms but one whom we are friendly with!  Dougie and Judith opted for a cubic approach after all!! Doh!!

Ah well you can’t win them all…but we will try!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-07-24 06:43:55. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The design was commissioned by Mark R from Williamwood; in-between Clarkston and Giffnock in the southside of Glasgow in Lanarkshire, Scotland.

His brief is:

• To provide a garden area that will look great without the requirement for heavy maintenance
• Build several seating areas to use different areas and aspects within the space
• A simple water feature
• Create a space suitable for hosting parties and for relaxing in
• A budget of around £10K

The original space is overgrown and scarred by the recent building work on the extension to the house.  The couple have installed concertina doors which open the full length of a stunning living room to bring the garden and the house together – so it is important to get some good angles and areas within this plot to befit the quality and finish of the recent build.

The colour palette indoors is stylish, simple and monochromatic – a scheme I am keen to replicate in this outdoor room.  I have drawn inspiration too from the furnishings indoors which were cubic and rectangular and I have developed this into the shapes and form used in the constitution of the garden elements.

The structure follows a simple journey path through the space from the living room, embellished by the wants of the client where desired.  A large slate terrace forms the main functional element within the garden – perfect for entertaining in numbers.  From here we can view the visual feast waiting within the rest of the garden; a reflective pool with it’s ‘floating’ path and bursts of green shoots creates intrigue and a pleasureable hop across reveals an inviting ‘lounger’ patio – host to a cascade water feature which brings the garden to life and movement.

This geometric approach to the design ensures that each element within the garden can be seen as a feature in it’s own right as no two shapes will be the same and each will be offset and balanced by another as can be seen in the constitution of the paths and patios here.  This ‘journey’ method is of course contrived but is a useful device when matching some purpose with the client’s design brief.  Sometimes an artificial journey will work better than a natural one because the user will sense value in something being created especially for them.

The cascade water feature pools into a rill which follows down into the reflective pool.  The rill heightens the audio and visual qualities of the garden – and will also act as a handy wine and beer cooler!!

The chunky and purposeful rectangles of the hard landscaping are offset and soften by the slender and elegance of spires of cypress, some chamomile strips (accross the path) and the horizontal lines of the new fencing that will surround the new space bolstering the coninuity,

The chamomile strips are mimicked on the opposite side of the pond by strips of dark granite setts which will create some curiosity and delight for the user.

These raised patios will be enveloped in planting creating a lush and cosy environment in which to relax.

I am looking forward to getting this project underway later this year!!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-10-04 09:00:17. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Welcome to another project article in our Garden Design Portfolio Series.  This garden has been designed by Nicky Patterson and will be built by the team of garden designers and landscapers at GardenImprovements.com.

The design was commissioned by Nicky K from a new build townhouse property in Anniesland in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland.

His brief required:

• Somewhere to relax after a days work
• A stylish and contemprary design with some light colours
• Simple and low maintenance planting
• A water feature
• Some lighting
• A small lawn area

This design is for the new build property which have been left unturfed with bare soil and with a slight gradient up towards the back fence from the house.

It is quite a narrow garden and so my initial idea was to bring in some shape and create the sense of space through use of circles and curved lines. The basis of the design centres around a circular lawn which dominates the middle area of the garden but is then subdued by the inclusion of tree trunk disks and segmentation by a water rill which springs from a water feature at the top left corner of the garden, runs underneath the deck and then disappears at the house.

The use of pale sandstone will brighten the area and provide the perfect entertainment patio for Nick and Wendy to enjoy some evening dinner in the relative style and comfort of their new garden.

A lemon-shaped deck provides the perfect platform for a couple of loungers which will catch the last of the evening sun and the interaction of the water feature will create a pleasant environment in which the clients can enjoy a glass of wine.

The decked area will bring raised by about 2ft from the level of the lawn thus creating a cascade waterfall feature in front of stone filled gabion cages which allow the water to trickle into the rill. The use of subtle planting and beach pebble creates a seaside effect and we can introduce some height interest through the use of cypress trees down the right hand side.

The low retaining wall will slope from the height of the deck down to the height of the paving thus dealing with the height difference within the garden and allowing for several terraces within the space; one for the patio, one for the lawn and one for the deck.

Keep posted for the completed pictures of this project!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-07-27 17:47:00. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

I am starting a new series of blogs showcasing our latest garden design presentations.  These projects have all been commissioned by our clients and will be presented here in the pre-build stage and the purpose is to provide some insight into our processes and practices.

This design was commissioned by Angela H and Kevin P of Stewarton near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland. The brief:

• To remove the decking which was not to their tastes and deemed not to be practically safe.
• To provide a patio area in stone for the family four to enjoy BBQs and entertaining.
• To provide some storage space for bikes and equipment.
• To provide some terracing to the garden to ensure even surfaces for use and access.
• To provide some area if possible for children’s play – a 9yo and 5month baby.
• The garden is very small, about 8m x 8m and the couple had a budget of around £3K

My first thoughts were to grade the garden and introduce some wide sweeping steps so as not to confine any space within the plot.  The position of the patio was governed by sun coverage and the couple liked the idea  of this being circular.  Circular and non-conformative lines are useful in confined spaces when emplyed to create a sense of expanse to the mind’s eye.  In such a square and restrictive garden though I felt that informality might lose any appeal to the user and so I opted for a formal structure based around the circular patio.

The paving will be charcoal coloured concrete blocks and will form the patio and the main steps through garden. Some of these block will be lifted to allow planting some grasses through a green slate shale mulch. The edging and step risers will be formed from granite setts.

A utility area is essential for storage of bikes and other equipment – here we’ve integrated it into the design to ensure a cohesive unilateral garden with defined functional elements within. The fencing will be updated and unified using the technique we used earlier this year on a fence in Newton Mearns.

The play area will be constructed from green rubber squares to suit the design pallete and will be big enough for toddler play equipment and the occasional game of tweenager basketball.

The garden pivots around a circular patio in a fan shape defining the elements of the garden. The planting scheme for the design is segregated into two categories: peripheral planting around the permiter which will form two diminishing vertical wedges, one on the LHS and one on the RHS – they will diminish in opposite directions and will be formed from block planting of shrub and perennials in a pastel primary colour pallete; the second category is the plane planting which will be present throughout the main area of the garden and will be constituted from grasses and perennials such as hostas and dicentra.  There will also be a 6ft cherry tree planted for height interest and proportion balance on the RHS.

The patio will be big enough for a table and four chairs and the low steps will alow for extra informal seating for parties.  The design should sit well with the 60s built terraced property since it is contemporary in treatment but also slightly retro in style.

The build for this project will begin toward the end of March 2009 and we are looking forward to working with Angela and Kevin.  We are also looking for some cheap digs in Stewarton that will let us work 12-14 hours on this project to ensure swift and focused construction.

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-03-06 11:34:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This project comes from Stewarton near Kilmarnock in Ayrshire, Scotland.  This design was commissioned by Stan and Fiona W who had recently purchased this new build house with a steep banked, boggy garden and they wished for a space that was safe, child friendly and could host some big parties!by Nicky Patterson

Stan and Fiona’s design brief:

• To install drainage.
• To provide a patio area for entertaining guests.
• To provide some storage space for tools and equipment.
• To provide some terracing to the severe slope to procure some access to, and more function from the space.
• To provide some area if possible for children’s play and include space for a trampoline.
• The garden is a little larger than average in it’s entirety but is very awkwardly shaped and has some severe slopes – at the highest points it directly looks onto the river and into the town of Stewarton.

At the survey visit Stan had initially indicated that his thoughts were along the lines of semi-circular steps leading from the rear of the house. As you can see I have taken his idea well and truly on board!  The plan incorporates several paved seting areas, a lawn and access to the very steep slopes.

The circular theme allows us to incorporate the large trampoline which was required to be in the garden at some point. The material pallet will be mainly light as in sandstones and granites with only some dark defining lines to offer contrast.  The site is enveloped by mature trees and reflecting some light into the space is crucial.

The garden is essentially split into two areas; lower and upper gardens.  The lower garden is a functional space within itself and this is where the trampoline will be positioned along with the lawn, a patio and plenty of area for planting up.

The planting scheme is to be relatively low key in this area; the beds will all be lined and layered with some gravels.  There will be just enough planting to soften the edges and offer interest, colour and a crucial connection to the surrounding environment.

We had to make use of the severe slope in the garden which constitutes more than 50% of the property space. By terracing it we can create a usable seating area enveloped with planting and with views over the river and into the town.

Using the circle as a constant we can create a cohesive space with a fun element; it allows each element to interact in interesting ways with another, and where we see the plants come to the borders, they seem to cut in to the different areas which will sooth the lines of hard landscaping and frame the patios and paths beautifully.

The side of the house was unusable previously but gets the lion-share of sunshine – a good idea would be to have it levelled and terraced and we can install a sunshine patio area for entertaining guests. in the afternoons and evenings The terraced walling doubles as additional informal party seating!

The build for this project will begin in mid-April 2009 and we are looking forward to working with Stan and Fiona.

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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This complete project can be viewed here!!

Originally posted 2009-03-12 23:04:26. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The design was commissioned by Peter and Eileen S from the Simshill area, between Cathcart and Croftfoot, in the southside of Glasgow, Scotland.

The original garden was very fragmented and seemed very small despite the actual size of the area.  Their brief was to provide:

• 2 seating areas, one in a sunny position and one in the shade
• a lawn with a suitable path
• a drying area
• a cohesive planting scheme

The first thing i wanted to do was to create a bigger garden.  By removing the bed which divided the garden into two narrow rectangles, and then implementing a circular design we can produce a more spacious area and procure more function for the space we are left with.  Diminishing circles help to lengthen the garden and the circular design itself spreads the lateral space so as to appear larger – a handy technique when workin in small urban gardens!

Two lawns are encircled by a cobbled path leading to the main seating area where the BBQs will be had.  A second seating area in the shade will be built underneath the window at the house as per the clients request.  The patio, shaded seating area and the existing hedge were allfixed elements upon which the rest of the garden was designed.

Peter and Eileen requested that the main patio be quite small – not too commanding – and I have made it large enough for a table and 4 chair set along with a kettle BBQ drum.  By enshrouding this with block, cottage style planting we can reduce the impact of the patio has on the otherwise ‘soft’ elements of the garden.

The lower half of the garden will be used primarily as a drying area and so plenty of space is afforded for this with stepped access to the top tier area.

The meandering path creates a journey line through the garden as well as providing a strong visual backbone to the aesthetic structure.

We will be building this garden in the late summer of 2009 so keep an eye out for the finished pics!

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-10-03 17:20:11. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This design is commissioned by Moyra C from Clairmont Gardens near Park Circus in the West end of Glasgow, Scotland.This property is in a busy business district of the city where space really is a premium but light and greenery are not.  The brief is to provide some privacy, plenty of green without adding too much work, and to build a cool and contemporary garden which befits the stunning workmanship inside the house.  Moyra wants to spend far more time in the garden and especially when she and her husband have people round.  The outbuilding has been converted into a small room and kitchen which we have to provide access to since Moyra wishes to cook and serve refreshments from here.  Sounds nice!

The plan is made of modular rectangles providing ample relaxation area, a water feature, plenty of planters and planting.  This will all be based around a slightly formal theme – where planting and material repetition will form the backbone.

The colour scheme will be high in contrast and fairly monochromatic.

This design is in essence providing Moyra with a ‘room outdoors’.  There will be no bare soil nor will there be a lawn.  This creates quite a harsh environment so it is important to get the hard landscaping correct and then use plants cleverly to soften the whole effect.  The hard-standing surfaces will be built from black and silver granite, the walls will be rendered white and the surrounding carpet of shingle will be a silver granite chip.

This creates high tonal variation and is in direct contrast with the material used in the building – so again we will use the planting to blur the lines and provide a visual threshold between old and new styles.  The water feature will provide some soothing bubbling sounds and a soft line through the hard granite.  A green slate shale square (to the left in the above image) makes for a heavier planting scheme used to screen some of the wall in that corner.

The raised planters, at differing heights will add dimension and structure to the area as will the bamboo hedge, ornamental box balls and the climbers on the back wall. This gives this garden space some much needed colour and vitality.

The proximity of the patio means that Moyra and her guests will not have too far to dash if the glorious Glasgow weather takes a sudden turn for the worse!

The silver granite linear detail dissecting the black granite patio creates a pleasing contrast and adds some more interest and formulates new shape and form in the garden. We can see here how much the raised planters add to the space and bring a vertical structure, climbers up the wall on the left hand side of the house will echo this.

Considering the area was practically a car park before hand – a concrete base – this design will really turn the space into a useable and functional garden, appealing to Moyra’s style and sense of lifestyle while giving the established and impressive townhouse a worthy extension!

Looking forward to building this in the next few months.

Kind regards

Nicky Patterson, Designer @ Gardenimprovements.com

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Originally posted 2009-10-18 22:01:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter