Garden with Outdoor Kitchen

The clients wanted to keep all the hedging and the mature trees that were already in the garden and liked the bones of the garden but it didn’t have much seasonal interest or colour. They also wanted to embrace outdoor living so we created zones, a chillout area, seating area to enjoy with friends and family and an outdoor kitchen.

A bespoke pergola was designed for the outdoor kitchen, that added screening for privacy and also meant we could add downlighters over the kitchen to be able to use the kitchen as the light fades in an evening. The trellis on the planters was also a bespoke design to fit the planters and provide screening to give the decking a feeling of being a separate secluded area. We were going to plant climbers up the trellis but they love the way the light falls on the trellis and the patterns it creates with light and shadows as the light filters through the trees. So we changed the planting and added shrubs, a few grasses and ferns (on the more shady planter) instead.

The planting palette was kept simple to fit in with the client’s favourite colours of greens, purples and whites. This was achieved through flower colour and foliage. Ensuring that there is something to see throughout the seasons. The planting was also designed so that if they wish to switch the lights on while sat inside on an evening they can see the focal points (ornamental pear trees) lit up.

The lighting was zoned so that they could switch just the kitchen lights on, the outdoor seating area, see the diffuse effect against the planting or a combination of any of the areas.

They often cook Sunday lunch outside even if it is raining as they love the kitchen and have said that they use to see the seasons as ‘leaves on, leaves off’. Now they really notice all four seasons through the changes in the garden, from the new shoots and bulbs appearing in spring. To the lush planting in summer, the grasses and asters in autumn and the topiary and winter flowering shrubs in winter.