Garden design near Grantham

The masterplan for a new garden near Grantham has been finalised. The setting is a sloping courtyard enclosed by a lovely stone barn, which is currently being developed. Sitting on top of a ridge the garden will enjoy spectacular views, something which the design obviously seeks to take advantage of. We have also sought to make the most of the slope, creating areas on different levels and connected by steps and paths. The planting will be colourful, naturalistic (to link with the landscape beyond) and wind tolerant. The team from APT Studios will hopefully be embarking on the construction once the barn development is finished, with a view to planting in the autumn. Here are a couple of images of the proposals.

Running on empty

Scotland may have had its wettest winter for a century but water reserves in much of the rest of the country are at lower levels than in 1976, one of the worst drought years of the twentieth century. The Environment Agency’s drought map shows the East Midlands at high risk, and while the debate continues about how best to deal with the problem, it is clear that we all need to use less.

Two's company

It can sometimes be difficult to know what to to do with a slope in your garden. Where space is not an issue and the slope simply represents a relatively small, but troublesome, area why not imbue it with a character all of its own by creating something simple but striking. Here is something we did recently in a large garden which we think (and hope you do too) worked rather well. The garden consisted of many different parts but this steep bank of rough grass was proving difficult. Now the curved stone terracing and clipped yews stand sentinel throughout the year, while seasonal changes take place around them - spring bulbs, summer rough grass, autumn stubble and winter snow.