Edwardian Garden (South Belfast)

The Inspiration

This garden belongs to an Edwardian, Arts and Crafts house. The garage located between the house and garden is part of the garden boundry. The side wall of the building is an impressive feature, and in the fashion of the Arts and crafts style, plays a major part in linking the house with the garden.

Gertrude Jerkyll, who was perhaps the greatest exponent of the Arts and Crafts style in garden design made a point of ensuring the link between house and garden was an important feature but she also went further by blending the gardens she designed with the surrounding countryside, this is something I have considered in the formulation of my concepts and I use the idea of the borrowed landscape to link this garden with its surroundings.

The Practicalities of The Design

I have in my concept considered how the space will be used. Somewhere to relax, to sit and read and sometimes to eat but always to enjoy and unwind.

I have embraced the idea of areas and the ease of movement from one area to another. There are areas of soft landscaping in the form of grass and beds where the structure of the planting is based upon the limited but naturalistic use of perennials and biennials, which will return year after year. There are areas of hard landscaping using natural stone to form seating areas and paths which link them. It is essential that these deisgns feel right and look right through the correct use of materials, a respect for craftsmanship and an understanding and implementation of planting schemes that can leave a lasting legacy to enjoy.

This is a compact space and as a consequence, I have kept the designs simple. The only vertical interest I am allowing myself come in the form of short pergolas, these are an important part of the style and feature extensively in most Arts and Crafts gardens. I am using the boundry hedge and the borrowed landscape to provide the vertical planted impact and areas of grass and hard landscaping to open up the compact space.