This wide-angled family garden in Chelmsford, Essex had an unusual shape. It was very wide, but not very deep. Our clients wanted an area for entertaining and relaxing, but there also needed to be somewhere for the children to play football.

To create an illusion of greater depth to the space we set the whole design on a 45° angle. The main area of the garden features two rectangles of artificial lawn, ideal for games, without the mud!

A patio laid with sandstone planks stretches from the corner of the house to the bottom left of the space. While a resin bound aggregate flows from the front of the house and down the left hand sideway.

Across the back of the garden three triangular planting beds help create dynamic lines in the garden. While hedgerows between the lawn and beds will act as a natural barrier for the children's football.

The planting beds feature block planting in bright greens, soft sages and blues and purple.

A silver birch planted in the right hand corner of the garden adds height, while an elegant acer on the left hand side of the space provides seasonal interest.