This large garden in South Oxfordshire was designed to complement a stunning modern Arts and Crafts-style house. The house itself was beautifully designed by Wallingford-based Architect, Richard Cutler.

Initially, the bold, imposing property had the minimum of functional hard landscaping. This included a gravel drive and a large expanse of Indian sandstone to the rear of the property. The garden design brief was to create a modern garden that helped anchor the house within the landscape, whilst making the most of the views from the various rooms within the house.

The client also wished to create a lower maintenance driveway of resin bound gravel. In the front drive, the inclusion of much larger borders either side of the front door gives better scale in proportion to the large house.

The planting of Yew cubes and domes provides year-round structure and interest. The softer planting in these borders follows the bold architecture with a restrained palette of evergreen grasses and a colour scheme of black, green and white. Indeed, black is a theme throughout the garden.

The meticulously designed rear terraces feature a captivating blend of beige and black limestone, seamlessly accentuating various internal spaces around the house. The thoughtfully crafted herringbone-laid Flemish brick pavers not only define distinct areas but also enrich the landscape with added texture and striking contrast. Complementing the scale and architecture of the house, the planting of large buttress-clipped Yews echoes the building’s structural elements, merging nature and design seamlessly.

The elegant formal lawn is framed by a stunning wildflower meadow, serving as a charming link from the formal garden to the breathtaking vista of the Chilterns. The relaxing evening terrace, nestled at the garden’s base, is thoughtfully positioned under a sleek black pergola, creating an idyllic space for evening entertainment, basking in the warmth of the setting sun.

Finally, the previously overlooked side area was transformed into a purposeful woodland garden, featuring newly introduced multi-stem Golden Rain trees adorned with a diverse mix of grasses and perennials. The naturalistic allure of this ornamental meadow adds depth and character to the garden landscape.