A flat roofed modernist extension and removal of most ground floor walls of the detached Cambridgeshire house led to the redesign of the traditional lawned garden.
The new open plan living space was enclosed totally with a glass wall of sliding doors. As the garden was now viewed almost as part of the interior, the design had to flow out from the glass doors and look fabulous for twelve months of the year.
The design solution was to create a large terrace level with the interior flooring and separate the planting from this terrace by a rill running across the garden. The terrace was paved in a diamond cut grey sandstone sourced by the client and a concealed surface water drainage system fitted to prevent flow back into the house. The rill was given movement by a water blade at one end and by a small bubble fountain at the other. The resulting ripples reflecting on the ceiling of the extension on sunny days.
The planting was restricted to three standard Amelanchier trees in small aluminium raised beds and under planted with a grey hebe. A small raised lawn of course bladed blue alpine turf was edged in large sandstone paving and seems to float above one end of the rill. Planting was completed by a yew hedge in a rendered raised bed to the rear of the garden.
Garden lighting was essential as no window dressings were planned for the glass wall. Uplighters for the trees give a sculptural effect with submersible lighting in the rill highlighting the movement of the water. Strip lighting beneath the edge of the raised lawn enhances the illusion that it is floating.
