Garden Design near Reading

This garden design project is situated in a small village near Reading, Berkshire.

The site has brick walls on 3 sides, creating a courtyard effect. When the clients moved in, the two boundary walls were covered in a nest of climbers. Upon removing the climbers, beautiful brick walls were discovered and cleaned to great effect.

The Brief

The brief was to incorporate a new garden room into the space, as well as a wildlife pond. Additionally, space for a breakfast terrace and a dining terrace was needed. As keen gardeners, the clients wanted the main focus to be on planting and lawn space. Given the rectilinear layout of the garden, the lawn was designed as two circles, to add movement, form and winter interest.

Wildlife Pond

Located near the kitchen, the wildlife pond includes plenty of aquatic and marginal plants. Also, a copper fountain lends sound and movement to the garden, whilst oxygenating the water. The pond is backed by an undulating Yew hedge that references the curves in the lawn. These curves are also repeated in structural Yew hedging elsewhere in the garden.

Lush Planting

The breakfast terrace connects the new conservatory to the garden, as well as the lawn and wildlife pond. The planting palette here is simple, creating a bold focal point from the house. The feature tree, Albizua julibrissin, sports delicate leaves and soft, fragrant flowers through summer. Underplanting is a mass of Japanese Fountain Grass, Hellebores and Japanese Toad Lily.