Hidden Lakeside Living
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What a hidden delight inside the M25, I remember first viewing this tired lake at the bottom of a large garden and thinking that it could be a real focal point. The concept was to enhance the natural features of the pond with planting and reinforcement as required, ensure that it was functioning as a sump for excess water and to make it a destination within the wider garden. A timber chalet next to the pond was being renovated and the clients were keen to integrate it with the pond.
I combined a solid stone/.gabion embankment along the weakest margin, with pre planted coir rolls and traditional pond shelves to create a diverse environment to improve biodiversity and protect the surrounding soils from erosion. Planting was chosen to be semi-native and evocative of watersides, large drifts of reeds and perennials compliment the scale of the design and connect with similar planting closer to the house. As with all my designs I am keen to identify seating opportunities and to enhance them with creative design elements, in this instance that included a floating deck island and natural Breeze House gazebo.
The concept design for the garden is elegant and simple for such a large space, my work often involves helping clients to interpret the space in more basic terms to start with. Looking at the overall concept helps break free from small details and problems, these will be dealt with as the design progresses through the detailed stages of masterplanning.
"Re-imagining the spaces around the buildings we inhabit, from seedling idea to delivery on the ground"
