Small Family Garden, Shelford

Sam's clients have a stylish new build property in an exclusive area but the outdoor space simply didn't meet their needs. Typically for a newbuild, the garden was just a poor quality lawn with a minisucle patio. The brief was to transform the plot into a relaxing space that could be enjoyed by the clients. With a baby on the way, the family also wanted a child-friendly garden with lots of opportunities for the little one to explore the outdoors in a safe environment.

One corner of this garden tends to be very wet and sticky. Sam's solution was to build a deck to span the area and transform it into living space.

The pergola design for the living space called for a span of 3m on a single cedar joist which would be supporting slatted screens. The team very cleverly machined a slot into the joist and concealed an aluminium section to provide invisible support.

The builders had installed a small stone patio which the clients wanted to keep. However the exact matching stone was no longer available. So Sam and the team adjusted the design and used a contrasting coloured stone to extend the patio and create a path to the pergola. Problem solved.

The garden makeover has provided Sam's clients with an attractive yet practical garden. It's relatively low maintenance but has a strong focal point in the pergola area and plenty of soft surfaces for children's play.
The use of natural cedar for decking and pergola is easy on the eye and helps the garden feature to blend nicely with borrowed views of mature trees. The pergola's L-Shaped design is perfect for modern living and creates a feeling of warmth and privacy within the garden.
Designing a family garden in a small space requires a lot of thought and consideration. This project is a triumph that the Grow Gardens team can be proud of.