The original concept for this garden came from Oliver Schurmann of Mount Venus Nursery in Rathfarnham. The clients knew of his reputation for very natural and sustainable planting concepts. My clients also wished to extend their rear garden into an adjacent plot which they had recently acquired and to integrate a painting studio into the concept. The new studio is surrounded by lush woodland planting with a water feature starting at the house, flowing with numerous cascades down to a main pond at the rear of the garden. The new section of garden was significantly lower than the existing garden but by importing a large amount of soil and introducing a drainage system the split levels were softened and the height difference became an important aspect of the new design. The photos show the garden only two years later both in spring and autumn. The growth-rate of the plants after such a short period of time indicates how the garden will mature in years to come. Eventually the garden will look and feel as if it had developed naturally over a much longer period of time.

Our customer wanted a garden that for relaxing, but they also wanted to be able to grow plants, flowers and vegetables. We created a garden that has a modern feel, but uses very natural materials and works well as a traditional kitchen garden. The design process inspired several features that worked really well. We extended the roofs of the two small sheds at the rear of the garden so that they met in the middle. This created a sheltered area, perfect for rainy days. A water feature adds impact and brightens up a dark area of the garden which is bordered by walls, an idea that was proposed by Oliver Shurman of Venus Nurseries. And for the gardeners, there are two large planting bed which provide plenty of fresh vegetable and salads.

The first time I saw this garden it was dominated by a decked area, shed and a climbing frame. The deck was only slightly higher than the rest of the garden. However, it was surrounded by a balustrade which added to the overcrowded feeling. My two clients had different ideas for the garden. One wanted to pave the whole area and the other client wanted a lawn. The plan I came up with satisfied them both and they were very happy with the finished garden. The trick to giving the feeling of space in quite a small garden is to keep forms and materials simple. The shape of the lawn makes it look bigger despite being very a little area. We used as much of the existing plants in the garden and supplemented with some ground covering plants and colourful perennials.

The design concept in this garden was about almost hiding the structure within the planting. It feels as if a garden has been carved from a natural nook with a stream gently flowing through it. Two curved patios emerge from the planting as if dropped from above, linked by a bridge over water. A curved lava block wall adds tones of an ancient Japanese ruins.

This garden was a wide, long site, completely blank other than an existing patio. My design concept was to break this space up and create a very natural garden. In this way, the harsh boundaries lines would be softened and the garden would look larger as an added benefit. We created a raised area in the middle of the garden using large boulders and flat stepping stones. This created a secluded area at the rear of the garden with a peaceful space for relaxing.