Balcombe, 2009

Reclaimed family garden

Frustrated by the way their little crowded garden became uncomfortable to use in summer, this family had stopped using their garden.

The brief was to reclaim the space for alfresco dining, while still providing young children with a trampoline and as well space to run around. A sunny spot to lie on a lawn with a good view back towards the house was also requested.

The make-over involved removing the overwhelming tree, renewing the fences with trellis to encourage climbers, and relocating the trampoline off the patio. The beds were kept as narrow as possible, with the option to widen them as the plants bulked up and the need for runabout space waned. Romance, pretty colours, repeat flowering perennials with gorgeous scents, plus a new spacious layout that included a hideaway compost area, combined to banish the mossy shaded scrap of lawn and dark, bare walls.

Who fancies a BBQ?