An unusual two acre site which included some beautiful native woodland and the lovely river Wansbeck, but was an empty site built on an old water treatment works.

The clients are nature lovers and keen to bring biodiversity and nature into the garden, including a nature pond, as well as to grow produce for themselves.  As a family with young children who love the outdoors, an important requirement was to bring adventure and wonder into the garden.  The client also wanted various seating spots with vistas around the garden to enjoy this large garden, as well as a large cabin within the woods and have a large enough lawn for marques for special celebrations.

The design concept was to move from formality to naturalistic as we move away from the modern property becoming increasingly immersive and enclosed as you move through the garden.  Near the modern property is a rectilinear lawned garden with generous 3-5m deep beds enabling trees, shrubs and perennial beds for good enclosure.  The main lawn garden then funnels into a central circular orchard garden with a fruiting tree orchard and wildflower meadow, with a network of cut lawn paths through it,  with a productive garden and greenhouse linked to it.  The orchard garden then passes through a narrow planted banks into a hidden water garden with a large 20m long pond.  This pond garden has a seating deck cantilevered and overhanging the pond to catch the evening sun, a meandering stream which falls into the pond, and open area for the kids to camp and play, and surrounded by woodland planting banks to create a place of hidden beauty and solace.

We also created an immersive fire pit seating area within the woodland, with beautiful views of the river, as well as installing a large cabin in the woods.

Key to the success of this garden was significant land sculpture, land drainage and creating mounds and changing levels to create privacy, zoning and interest.

As an ex water treatment works we also discovered a network of large concrete conduits and piping during the build!

Photos taken in Autumn 2024 soon after build. Summer ones to follow.