Graham A.Pavey Garden and Landscape Design
Small Garden

 Although the main entrance to the house this garden is actually the back garden of the garden. The parking area is just outside the boundary and the garden represents the first welcome to this delightful limestone terraced house. A complication is created by a "trench-like" area between the house and the garden creating a small moat around the house.

To make this garden work some privacy had to be created as well as a welcoming entrance to the house. The garden is small so it needed to be designed to "feel" larger. The two circles lined up on the diagonal was designed to "push" out the corners and emphasise the longest line in the garden and therefore create an illusion of more space. Plants against the fence also take off the hard edges and add to the illusion of space. The pergola over the paved circle was a simple but very effective way of creating an enclosed space and some privacy.

A low wall and steps had been included with the new house leading down to a bridge across the moat. This wall had a blue engineering brick coping and this was copied in the mowing strip to ensure the whole looked as if it was meant to be together.

Once the garden was completed the clients painted the fence, the pergola, and the shed (in the parking area) with a matt green wood preservative. You must decide whether you prefer this treatment or not. I think it draws attention to features like the fence and shed which are not the most attractive parts of the garden and are best disguised. It can also make the garden appear smaller. The original colour of the fence on the opposite side of the garden blends into the background much better.

Warning: When painting a fence with wood preservative make sure you paint both sides of the fence with the same colour or the splashes will upset your neighbour. Also remember that it is not paint so it cannot be stripped back to the original wood.

Interlocking circles can be used to break up an area and the spaces created around the edge adjusted to soften and brighten the hard surfaces.

Mowing strips make the lawn easier to maintain and can also be used to create a link between the house and the garden. Here the "Blue" pavers pick up the colour of brick used in the house construction.

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