Garden Tour: A Low Maintenance Scheme Transforms a Scrappy Plot
How a rarely used garden became a sociable space, with terraces, a fire as its focal point, and plenty of soft planting
Having renovated and extended this house near Cambridge, its owner turned his attention to the outdoor space. The existing garden was uninspiring, with a patio and some scrappy lawn. He wanted a garden to match his lifestyle, with a cooking area, an open fire and a place for the family to gather with friends.
His brother had already found Sam Moore of Consilium Hortus and put the two in touch. “We have been working on both the brothers’ gardens since then,” Sam says. “It’s become a proper family competition – who’s got the best one!” Here, Sam designed a low-maintenance scheme, with lots of entertaining space and some clever planting that screens the view and brings interest and softness to the space.
His brother had already found Sam Moore of Consilium Hortus and put the two in touch. “We have been working on both the brothers’ gardens since then,” Sam says. “It’s become a proper family competition – who’s got the best one!” Here, Sam designed a low-maintenance scheme, with lots of entertaining space and some clever planting that screens the view and brings interest and softness to the space.
The owner’s brief was for a sleek, low-maintenance garden. “There’s a fine line to tread here, though,” Sam says. “We didn’t want the garden to be so sleek it felt like [a very] modern garden; it still has softness to it.”
Sam introduced planting inspired by the south of France, as the wife is French. This includes an olive tree, seen here in a large pot, Nepeta (catmint), and grasses.
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Sam introduced planting inspired by the south of France, as the wife is French. This includes an olive tree, seen here in a large pot, Nepeta (catmint), and grasses.
Easily find and hire reviewed garden designers on Houzz.
A few hornbeam trees, each around 3m tall, were removed to open up the garden. Several other trees were planted or retained, including an established silver birch and a Robinia, which has bright greenish-yellow leaves, both seen on the left.
There was originally a bit of patchy lawn in the garden, but the owner was keen to have a larger grassed area. “He’s quite happy caring for it,” Sam says. “He’s always out there feeding it.”
There was originally a bit of patchy lawn in the garden, but the owner was keen to have a larger grassed area. “He’s quite happy caring for it,” Sam says. “He’s always out there feeding it.”
This terrace to one side of the garden is a relaxed space for socialising.
Sam planted a multi-stem Amelanchier lamarckii on either side of the fireplace. “While we have taken trees out, we’ve also added some, and worked in much more planting, too,” he says.
Sofas; table, all Nova Outdoor Living.
More: How to Start a Garden Redesign
Sam planted a multi-stem Amelanchier lamarckii on either side of the fireplace. “While we have taken trees out, we’ve also added some, and worked in much more planting, too,” he says.
Sofas; table, all Nova Outdoor Living.
More: How to Start a Garden Redesign
After lots of deliberation and poring over many samples, the owner opted for porcelain paving in a purple-grey tone. It is beautiful but also practical, which was important, because pigeons sit in the trees surrounding this area, and their droppings hit the terrace below.
“He has to clean it every week, so we didn’t want natural stone, which can stain,” Sam says. “This is non-porous, so nothing will mark it.”
Porcelain paving, Lower Barn Farm. Chairs and table, all Nova Outdoor Living.
“He has to clean it every week, so we didn’t want natural stone, which can stain,” Sam says. “This is non-porous, so nothing will mark it.”
Porcelain paving, Lower Barn Farm. Chairs and table, all Nova Outdoor Living.
This multi-stem olive tree brings a hint of southern France to the terrace. “We spent quite a while sourcing that to find a tree the owner really loved,” Sam says. “He wanted something with personality.”
The only drawback was its size and the fact that access to the garden is through the garage, which made getting it into position very tricky. “We were going to get a size bigger; I’m glad we didn’t!” Sam says.
The tall pots contain Astelia chathamica ‘Silver spear’. All the planters were made bespoke for this garden.
Bespoke planters, Torc Pots.
The only drawback was its size and the fact that access to the garden is through the garage, which made getting it into position very tricky. “We were going to get a size bigger; I’m glad we didn’t!” Sam says.
The tall pots contain Astelia chathamica ‘Silver spear’. All the planters were made bespoke for this garden.
Bespoke planters, Torc Pots.
This photo looks towards the rear boundary. There were conifers growing here, which had been cut back so hard by the neighbour that all their brown growth was visible. Sam had slatted fencing installed around the entire garden, then, to conceal the conifers, planted yew hedging.
“Yew doesn’t like too much water, but because the conifers suck up so much moisture it was OK to plant them here in the dry,” Sam says. “We then put in an irrigation system, so we can control the watering. In a lot of other gardens, yew is not a viable option, but in this one it worked well.”
Growing above this are pleached, evergreen Portugal laurels, which also act as a screen. “It’s like a panel of trees, or a hedge on stilts,” Sam says.
The path leading off the terrace is laid with clay pavers rather than porcelain tiles to break up the design a little.
Clay pavers, London Stone.
“Yew doesn’t like too much water, but because the conifers suck up so much moisture it was OK to plant them here in the dry,” Sam says. “We then put in an irrigation system, so we can control the watering. In a lot of other gardens, yew is not a viable option, but in this one it worked well.”
Growing above this are pleached, evergreen Portugal laurels, which also act as a screen. “It’s like a panel of trees, or a hedge on stilts,” Sam says.
The path leading off the terrace is laid with clay pavers rather than porcelain tiles to break up the design a little.
Clay pavers, London Stone.
The fireplace is a focal point in the garden, but Sam admits it doesn’t give out much heat. “It looks great and works for entertaining, but heat rises, so when you have a fireplace like that above head level, you’re not going to benefit much from it,” he says. The owner has a separate barbecue for outdoor cooking.
Nepeta (catmint) and Deschampsia cespitosa (tufted hair grass) soften the borders of the terrace. The owner sourced this infrared garden heater to sit under on chilly evenings.
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Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
Growing beneath the Robinia tree is a laurel, which was kept in place as it usefully screens the neighbour’s house. A low retaining wall marks a change in height in the lawn, and creates a border along the boundary, with planting behind it.
The whole family love the new garden, including the kids, who, although too old to play outside, have had the odd game of volleyball on the lawn. “It’s only small, but they definitely use it for sports,” Sam says.
The terrace is a much-used spot for gatherings, too, enjoyed by all. “The family often have friends over, and when people come outside, they all say how lovely the garden is.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element of this stylish garden? Let us know in the Comments.
The terrace is a much-used spot for gatherings, too, enjoyed by all. “The family often have friends over, and when people come outside, they all say how lovely the garden is.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element of this stylish garden? Let us know in the Comments.
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Who lives here? A family of four
Location Near Cambridge
Property A detached house
Garden size 180 sq m
Designer Sam Moore of Consilium Hortus
Photos by Stillness in Motion Photography
When Sam was called in to consult on the garden redesign, the existing space was under-delivering. “There were concrete slabs up to the house and random bits of gravel,” he says.
The garden had been designed previously with lots of circular shapes and curves in it, but also an avenue of trees heading towards the rear boundary. “That was a bit odd,” Sam says. “They weren’t square to the house and looked really strange.”
As a result, the family living here didn’t really use the garden at all. “[The husband] would barbecue in it, but it wasn’t ideal for social gatherings, whereas now they have people round every weekend,” Sam says.