The clients wanted to widen the existing driveway entrance and the size of the driveway to allow parking for up to 3 cars. Keep the existing pedestrian pathway and gate. Remove a Laburnum and dead Rowan tree.  Keep the mature Cherry tree.  Planting in the sloping boundary border to be reviewed and renewed, reusing existing planting and bulbs where possible. Consider adding a retaining wall to this border. Keeping the lawn is optional, consider a gravel option. Soften the walls of the house with climbers and plant beds.

The front of this 1930’s house has a distinctive red brick detailing, especially around the front door.  I sourced a pavior in the same red colour tone and used this as a design detail to give a sweeping linear focus to the garden and link the house and garden together.

The driveway entrance was widened and a boundary beech hedge removed (giving an extra 1.2m of width), and new wooden boundary fence was installed with  climbers.  A new pavior enlarged driveway was installed. To give extra occasional parking capacity an area of gravel was installed with underlying reinforcement at the end of the driveway pavior area. 

The front of the house was softened with plant beds and climbers with seasonal interest. The front boundary plant border was refurbished with new and existing planting. The lawn was removed.  New areas of gravel, paving and paviors were installed.  Two new plant beds were also added.  One with structural planting of Hebe Vernicosa with a winter flowering Hamamelis which can be seen from the kitchen window.  The other with a mass planting of grasses, Hakonechloa macra Aureola adding a soft contrast to the hard landscaping.  Opposite the front door is a focal point view surrounded by a semicircular low stone wall.  The clients have placed a seat there from which to enjoy the garden.