Rather than simply a rigid, direct pathway to the house, the client desired a tranquil sanctuary to encourage a slower, more thoughtful journey through the front garden space.
Having previously designed the rear garden, we were delighted to be asked back to design the front garden and create a cohesive experience throughout the outside space.
This is a really unique property – almost subterranean and very modern – tucked away in Clifton. From the street, the property remains largely hidden from view. The walkway next to the garage almost feels like a tunnel, and then opens up into an amazing (but under-utilised) courtyard garden.
The client is a Pilates instructor, holding her sessions from her home, and wanted the front garden to feel like an extension of her studio. They also wanted the front courtyard to match the rear garden with cool, muted materials, which would help add to the restful aesthetic.
Sensory elements were also desired, such as water and textured planting, with seating and focal points to encourage moments of pause.
We designed the front garden to incorporate reclaimed cool grey granite paving and the same Kebony thermo wood decking as used in the back garden, to be in-keeping with the material palette.
As in the rear garden, where we used charred yaki sugi timber for the wall cladding, we created timber screens and charred them to match, adding to the sense of cohesion and calm.
To deal with the level changes, we introduced some really gentle steps coming through.
The client already had a tree fern and water feature in the rear garden, which we repurposed for this entrance courtyard.
It's brilliant to have those existing features, as they’re what often adds to the cost of a garden redesign. By repurposing these established features, we were able to enhance the garden immediately while preserving elements that held value for the client. It was the cherry on top.
This front garden is now a space to transition, to move through, to journey through, but it's also somewhere that you can go and spend some time.
It's an intimate, peaceful and private garden. Class members can spill out from the Pilates studio and still feel like they are in a safe, secluded space, and take a moment to pause before heading out into the busy city.
For the client, the incorporation of the existing tree fern and water feature creates an immediate emotional connection to the garden, while also preserving part of the property’s and clients’ story.
The tree fern had been part of the clients’ back garden for the past seven years, so to have that legacy as part of the new front garden design really makes the garden feel like theirs.
The rear garden was so challenging with access and complexity, although we really tried to manage the disruption. So to know that we were still on good terms and they wanted us to come back is so amazing.
Front garden spaces are often undervalued, yet they are the gardens which welcome you home. This garden wasn’t about curb appeal, it was about setting the tone the minute you entered. A sense of tranquility as you step through the door.
