THE BRIEF
Set on a plot with traces of medieval history, this new-build family home near Stratford-upon-Avon offered a rare opportunity to create a garden from the ground up.
The clients wanted a multifunctional outdoor space that would feel timeless, support modern family life, and sit comfortably alongside the Georgian-inspired architecture of the house.
The brief focused on:
- Clear zoning for dining, relaxing, growing, and play
- A strong sense of flow between spaces
- Privacy from neighbouring properties
- Sustainability, biodiversity, and long-term ease of maintenance
- Integration of practical systems such as irrigation and rainwater harvesting
The garden needed to feel established and rooted in its setting while remaining adaptable for future family use.
DESIGN RESPONSE
The garden was designed as a series of connected outdoor rooms, each with a distinct purpose but unified through materials, planting, and spatial rhythm.
A generous dining and BBQ terrace sits closest to the house, forming the social heart of the garden. This space is structured and practical, softened by layered planting and carefully placed trees to provide shelter and seasonal change.
Further into the garden, a relaxed seating area and greenhouse create a quieter zone for reflection, growing, and everyday use. Curving gravel and paved paths guide movement through the garden, encouraging exploration while maintaining visual connection between areas.
Mature fruit trees were selectively retained and new planting was introduced to prioritise:
- Native and pollinator-friendly species
- Year-round structure and interest
- A balance between openness and enclosure
Two walnut trees act as key anchors within the layout, helping to frame views and give scale to the garden.
Privacy is achieved through a combination of hedging, tree placement, and layered planting, particularly along boundaries facing the road and neighbouring properties. Integrated lighting, irrigation, and future-proofed lawn design (including robotic mower compatibility) ensure the garden will remain elegant and low-maintenance over time.
The result is a garden rooted in the site’s history but shaped for contemporary family life — adaptable, calm, and designed to mature naturally alongside the home.