Georgian House

A wonderful period property & family garden in Deal, Kent. A large space, awkward shape, shady corners and lots of love and ambition.

The Brief

Create a modern family garden at this Georgian vicarage. Complement the period style of the house whilst creating a functional outside space with defined areas for cooking, dining, storage relaxing and growing plants & flowers. Find subtle ways to soften the perimeter of the garden and provide privacy from neighbours, with trees, planting and other methods.

The Garden

A garden with an understated English style. Confident right angles have been carved from this awkwardly shaped site, to create lawns, planting beds, a sun terrace, dining terrace and sheltered wellness garden for the sauna and plunge-tub. The garden makes sense now in terms of flow and proportion. Classic, quality materials including clay pavers, antiqued Limestone paving and Corten steel detailing give this garden a traditional feel with a contemporary edge.

With or without a Picante.

Muted, weathered and informal, this garden has an understated English style. Traditional materials including clay pavers combine with Cotswold gravel and Corten steel to create a relaxed and welcoming garden. Time spent here will feel like a lazy afternoon at ‘The Pig at Bridge’ or ‘Soho Farmhouse’

This garden really is one for the grown-ups.

The build.

Turf.

New turf recently laid adjacent to the dining terrace.
Pleached.

A row of pleached Prunus lusitantica ‘Brenelia’ provide more privacy from neighbours.
Bedding in.

A wall along the terrace and outdoor kitchen area creates the perfect backdrop for a multi-stem tree and planting bed.
Borders.

Generous borders around the lawn are edged in Corten steel. More planting and turf was added after this picture was taken.
Screen time.

Patterned screens flank the entrance to the sauna area and are gently back-lit at night.
Devil in the detail.

The garden is packed full of subtle detailing and quality workmanship.
Painted.

The existing fence has been painted in a dark green/grey to match the new shed.

Planting Design.

More tea Vicar?

Planting is a contrast of structured topiary domes and traditional pleached trees alongside loose and informal shrubs & grasses. In sunny spots, blousey summer perennials sway in the breeze, in muted shades of purple, pink and mucky whites. A multistem Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Robin Hill’ provides dappled shade below.

Throwing shade.

Borders beneath the legacy Yew and Myrtle trees are shady and protected. Curved steel edging holds a generous border of lush evergreens including Ferns, Acanthus mollis, Fatsia Japonica, Brunnera and Japanese Anemone. The old brick walls are softened with Clematis cirrhosa ‘Wisley cream’ climbers.