Case Study: Waterside Cottage Garden
I hope you enjoy seeing these waterside cottage garden pictures as much as I enjoyed building the garden.
I’m lucky in that living and working in Somerset sometimes brings me the opportunity to develop the gardens of some truly characterful properties. This project is definitely amongst my favourite jobs so far.
The waterside setting and that amazing millstone centrepiece means that this garden is truly unique. Best of all was the joy of working with local ham stone.
How The Garden Used To Look
The very first moment I walked into this waterside garden I fell in love with the setting. Fabulous views across the Somerset countryside and although I couldn’t see the water, I could hear it. That bridge and the steps leading up to it were intriguing and the millstone water feature really piqued my interest.
As a garden designer though, I could see that the space was not as usable as it deserved to be. The lawn was ‘tired’ and the patio slabs were rough and uneven. Retaining walls are essential in a garden like this, but I felt that the small terrace beside the back door was not large enough to be usable.
The garden lacked a well-defined route to the bridge. Plus, I couldn’t help but wonder how my poor clients had managed to heave the lawnmower up over that step every time the lawn needed cutting. It was all very impractical.
My clients – lovely people – wanted an attractive, low maintenance space where they could sit outside and immerse themselves in nature. Bird song, watery sounds, countryside views and soft lighting for evening times. They also wanted to celebrate the uniqueness of their property. And when it comes to uniqueness – there’s nothing I like better!
How The Garden Has Changed
The biggest changes in this waterside garden are the lack of a lawn, a broad terrace, low retaining walls and a path that just invites you to visit that bridge.
The Millstone has been repositioned and included in a modern water feature. Not too modern though. I chose Ham Stone to make the water feature. It comes from a quarry on Ham Hill – not far away from the property and blends with the garden’s existing boundary wall. I used the same stone for the new retaining walls. Don’t you just love those honeyed tones?
The levels of this garden have all been changed. Instead of three small terraces, there are now two. A large terrace at the same level as the house has plenty of room for outdoor furniture. If my clients were entertaining, the new water feature could double up as seating.
I added soft lighting to the lower terrace so that it can be used for sitting out on summer evenings. In winter time, the lighting will give a warm glow to the garden and create a great view from the conservatory windows.
The smaller, upper terrace, is reached via sturdy granite steps and features a curving path to take you to the bridge. Either side of the path is a simple, low maintenance planting scheme which reflects the countryside beyond.
My clients are over the moon with their waterside garden, and I’m pleased that they like it as much as I do. May they continue to enjoy it well into their dotage.
Building Gardens That Tick All The Boxes
SilverBirch Gardens enjoy designing and building gardens that not only look good, but make life easier for our clients. This waterside garden is only one example of our work. There are many others. Head over to our portfolio page to see some examples of the unique gardens we have created.
Click here for 50 landscaping ideas to inspire your garden makeover.
