Garden design Bristol, Somerset & London
A garden for a professional child-minder in Bristol. Designed to be a fun and enchanting (and safe) place for toddlers to explore and play, and a relaxing and peaceful space for adults to enjoy. 

Rear garden

Completed September 2018. 

Concept & Outline Plan

Picture
Initial pencil concept sketch for client input
Picture
Formal outline plan to scale, incorporating client feedback

Key Features

  • Ivory limestone patio reflects light and complements the rear and side walls
  • Circular lawn edged in reclaimed brick; a curved bench for storytelling
  • The garden slopes down more than 30cm from the rear, and 60cm from the party wall. Changing these levels wasn't possible, so we levelled the lawn area and retained it with brick, and reshaped the beds to slope down to the lawn
  • Shade-tolerant planting, mostly evergreen for low-maintenance, with additional colour throughout the year from seasonal bulbs and long-flowering perennials. Robust enough to cope with footballs and feet. Existing large mature shrubs (Grisselinia littoralis, Viburnum tinus, Euonymus fortunei) were thinned out and cloud-pruned to allow in more light and enable underplanting
  • Stepping stones to create secret paths for exploration and adventure through the planting. The slate was found buried in the garden.
  • A timber hut doubles up as after-hours storage for toys and connects to a pergola. This draws attention away from a dominant rear wall; scented climbers will eventually turn it into a magical tunnel. Chipped green slate below the pergola adds lightness to the end of the garden, and is less easy to dislodge than gravel
  • The client is labelling all the key plants, to give the children an introduction to botany. In the Summer, pictures of birds and insects are suspended from the trees so that the children can learn to identify the garden wildlife.

Before & After
Nov 2017 survey day;
Aug 2019, one year after completion

Client comment

"I'm totally thrilled with my delightful garden. It works for me and the children as a professional base with calm and tranquil features throughout."
​Ann-Marie, Poppets Childcare