I design and build contemporary gardens,landscapesand roof terraces throughout London. The portfolio projects feature new trends in modern gardens, from a smallpatio design to larger family gardens, with a major speciality in roof gardens design. In town gardens, I have always been asked for low maintenance contemporary designs and this has evolved into an important element of all my projects. I offer a design and installation service in London, for domestic and corporate clients – creating contemporary cutting edge garden design.
Contemporary small town gardens
For me, creating a garden is about maximising the potential of a place – creating a story through a narrative of details, as every outdoor space can possess beauty and meaning. I feel inspired designing in a contemporary vernacular, though I try to produce timeless pieces in the use of materials,
shapes and volumes – I do not want my gardens to date rapidly, but to age gracefully.
Urban courtyards and city patios
Contemporary garden design in town often calls for low maintenance; a smallcourtyard gardenought to feel spacious; large open land needs terraces with comforting human scale. Yet everyoutdoor room, be it a secluded contemporary courtyard, a mediterranean gardenor a soaring roof terrace, needs to relate to the landscape beyond. The feeling of completeness we find in beautiful contemporary gardens, regardless of size or location, derives from a connection to their surroundings: a sense of place that gives tranquillity – and peace.
Professor David Stevens in ‘Small Space gardens’ published by Conran Octopus:
“If you want a clean, elegant and eminently liveable garden you will not get much better than this.
It is the personification of the garden designer’s skill set within a small city courtyard…
Although the Modern Movement flourished some seventy years ago, its design styles and ethos are
as strong today as they ever were, being subtly updated by every generation of gifted designers.”
Low maintenance planting design
When working in and aroundcentral Londonfor busy City folk the likelihood is that many do not have the experience, the interest or the time for horticulture. On the one hand it sometimes makes it difficult to explain how certain plants grow, yet on the other it gives me the freedom to evolve my vision and enjoy the cooperation of my clients.
It is important to find out the level of gardening experience the client has and whether they will tender the maintenance to a professional, as this will determine the complexity of theplanting design. Working in a contemporary vernacular I tend to plant in simple, bold textural drifts. This has evolved hand in hand with clients needing low maintenance gardens to suit the way we live today.
Whenlow maintenance plantingis the key for a client’s easy gardening life there are certain things I try and avoid. Plants that require complicated pruning. Perennials needing constant division and lifting. Flora that require too much winter protection. High attention plants such as Roses and small plants in pots without automatic irrigation. Invasive, spreading plants and plants that will shed sap and fruit over delicate surfaces.
Many evergreen architectural plants provide the visual focal points needed to choreographmodern garden spaces.The correct positioning in sun or shade, soil, drainage, watering and feeding lead to high performance and ultimately low maintenance I select all my plants myself, hands on, at the nurseries. There could be no better way to assess a specimen, group it with other plants to experiment with a composition and assure that the clients receive the best possible quality plants.
