Urban Retreats
Urban gardens usually have a few things in common; noise, overlooked by others, ugly fences and in the case of new builds; poor soil, and areas of deep shade.
They may have a variety of uses including entertaining, family gardens, storage and providing a relaxing calm space to enjoy the sun.
Not all urban gardens are small, which can challenge the budget. A new build garden can be a complete blank canvas with no mature plants or hard landscaping to work with.
Screening is usually a key element of the brief, both from unsightly boundaries and neighbouring properties. This requires some careful thought as the usual option is to cover a fence with a climber or plant a fast growing hedge that will be out of hand in a few years time. Good design uses many ways to provide screening and much of this is to do with distraction and training the eye away from ugly views, as well as clever use of planting and structures to add more privacy.
Family gardens will require an area of lawn for children to play on and is an economical surface in a larger garden. These gardens can be defined by zones leading you on a journey through the garden and allowing different treatments to the areas suitable to the specific use of the space.
Whilst new build houses always have an area of paving outside the kitchen/dining room, this does not take into account the garden’s aspect. A north facing garden will result in a dining area that is always in the shade and conversely a south facing terrace could be too hot in summer. Gardens can be designed with more than one seating/dining area or a cool spot with a bench in the shade.