Brimscombe

a steep woodland garden

A semi-rural garden renovation for a period home with an additional therapy practice building. The site was severely sloping with complex level changes and the boundaries of the garden blended into the surrounding woodland setting. The clients wanted to bring cohesion to their garden, both as a private setting and a working therapy space. They were also keen to incorporate a treehouse or cabin into the design.

The beautiful context of the wider landscape and the site’s restricted access meant I wanted to minimise the impact on the landscape whilst meeting as many of the clients’ needs as possible. This meant working with the slope as much as I could.

The transitional nature across the garden - from house & driveway to upper woodland - informed the design in both materials and planting choices, with the landscaping & planting becoming softer, more informal & naturalistic as one journeyed up the garden.

The final design consisted of distinct areas linked by various routes: a wellness area with sunken plunge pool, hot tub, barrel sauna and foliage planting; long gravel terraces and colourful borders; an outdoor dining/barbecuing terrace; several places along the woodland paths for seating & relaxing in both sun & shade; and a treehouse platform with camping pod at the top of the garden.

This was a live college project and not yet built. My design was judged by professional standards and gained me a distinction for the project.