Large country garden, Willian, Letchworth

This stunning three-acre garden was originally a fairly untouched space in a very rural location. Any landscaping was old and unsafe and the clients wanted the garden to be landscaped, but to still crucially retain a totally natural feel.

A path needed to be built to link the elderly parents nearby house to the main house to allow for a safer and easier walk between the two properties. By the back door a small patio, with built-in bench and water feature is regularly used, as this is the commonly used access to the house. The main patio around the back looks over a large lawn, wildflower areas, and the nearby lake, which has had the bank reclaimed using gabion baskets filled with stone. This has been covered over with turf, wildflower turf and natural looking planting.

Over by the lake we have constructed a decked platform, which juts out over the water and has more seating to enjoy this tranquil area and the lovely surrounding views. We loved this brief because it balanced a practical need for using the area with a complex complete garden landscape project.