Westacott Gardens

Case study: Decking the ideal solution for this garden in Brentwood.

Decking is one of those materials that is often considered in or out of fashion. And of course whilst it's great to keep up with developments in style and look when creating new gardens, for us garden design involves balancing the look of the finished product with practical elements.

Our designs seek to find this balance and leave clients with a garden that looks great but one that can be used everyday for years to come. Materials are an essential part of the decision making process when looking at a new design. Materials need to work in tandem with the design to help create the overall picture of the garden.

Roundup of recently completed gardens.

As you can imagine it's been a very busy period for us here at Westacott Gardens so it's been a struggle to update the site. So here's a quick roundup of some of the projects we've completed over the past few weeks.

First up was a small but interesting job where the client wanted to enlarge one side of their garden by cutting back and clearing a new area and filling this area with new artificial grass. The new area is in shade for a long part of the day so this was a great solution - more room for the kids to play and none of the worries of putting down real grass in this problem area.

We also added a new brick border around the new area to keep things nice and tidy and gave the rest of the garden a good tidy in time for the kids to get out and enjoy their new space.

Artificial grass is becoming more and more popular and with the new types available it is becoming a viable solution for some clients. There's a huge range available that offer a variety of looks from ultra realistic to putting greens and they offer a virtually maintenance free alternative to traditional lawns. Hard wearing but soft to the touch they are great for families or pet owners or anyone who simply doesn't have the time or inclination to tend to a natural lawn.

     
 

Next up was a job for the above clients neighbours! Their lovely Victorian house had a mess of a front garden that needed a complete rework. Based on the clients rough ideas we put together a very simple design that would give them space for a garden bench and new beds for planting. We also included a new garden wall with bespoke railings and pier caps to add the finishing touches.

We really enjoy doing front gardens as it's often an area that isn't given much thought or attention. But with a little planning they can be turned around really quickly and become  a usable space that really add to the kerbside appeal of any property.

    
  
  
And now we have moved on to a large design, build and planting job that will keep us busy for a month or so. Pictures of that one to follow as soon as possible.
 

Small garden - big changes.

As you would expect the summer months are some of our busiest so it's been pretty full on the past few weeks. We've completed several small projects in succession starting with a relatively small garden here in Chelmsford.

This couple wanted to turn their garden, which was a complete un-usable mess, into a simple space they could use along with their young daughter.  The simple design with a patio at either end of the garden and a lawn in the middle enabled them to create room for a table and chairs a new level lawn to play on and a functional space at the end of the garden for storage.

 

Family garden needs desperate attention.

We've moved on to our next project now which is a small family garden in Chelmsford which needs a complete overhaul to make it a safe, usable space for all the family.

Out biggest problem was a bizarrely huge brick built raised planter which completely dominates the garden. So an awful lot of waste to be removed before we can start any new work and with access being tricky it's going to take a bit of time.

But with two new paved areas and a nice new leveled lawn this will be a complete change for this garden and means the clients will finally be able to get out and enjoy it.

Waste of space to family garden.

This client was fed up of not getting maximum usage of their garden and called us to help them achieve a space which still left plenty of room or the kids to play but gave the adults somewhere to relax. One particular corner of the garden was a real mess with overgrown shrubs and a pile of earth. This area was also a real sun trap and we decided to introduce a new area for seating surrounded by a raised bed.

 

Sandstones patio's, new levels and curved walls - latest project completed.

With the break in the weather we've been able to push forward and complete our latest project. This has been a great one to work on as we worked with the client to define a new space at the rear of the property. The new curved walls give an informal feel to the new lower and upper level patios which marries with the feel of the rest of the garden. 

Latest landscaping project taking shape.

With the improving weather we've really been able to forge ahead with our latest project. With the new brick walls creating the edges of our new patios we've been able to start laying the new Sandstone patios.

 

New design and build project with curves in all the right places.

What a hectic time it's been for us since Christmas. The weather has meant we've been juggling jobs to try and keep working despite not being able to finish certain tasks in the low temperatures.

However, we've seen some light at the end of the tunnel this month and have really forged ahead with our latest project. This client has invested a lot of time enlarging their home and has now started to turn their attention to the garden. With a rough idea of what they wanted to achieve we set about bringing all the ideas together in a fluid space that ties all the levels together, works with the rest of the garden and the house.

  

New Hydrangea to be grown by our key plant supplier.

One of our top plant suppliers in essex has just announced they will be growing a new Hydrangea for 2010. The Wims Red Hydrangea looks stunning with flowers that turn from white to red. Flowering begins in June and the flowers remain very attractive into the Autumn.

We love creating bespoke planting plans for each of our clients based on the ethos of right plant right place, so who knows, hopefully we could be using this plant soon in. The right plant selection can make a huge difference to any garden design and should always be given the right amount of time and effort to get right. Often plants are pushed to the back of the design process appearing as an afterthought to the hard materials.

At Westacott Gardens we believe in thinking about the plants as an integral part fo the design process, as the right plants add that extra dimension to a new garden project, truly bringing it to life and ensuring an ever changing and evolving garden.

 

Chelmsford garden design - Slate, sleepers and an end to the snow?

 
At last a break in the weather has allowed us to carry on with our current project. We reached the point before Christmas where we just had the slate paving to put down around the new sleeper steps we've constructed. But with the drop in temperature laying any slabs has been too risky till now

So we're back on site and forging ahead to make up lost time and get this one completed so the client can get out and enjoy the garden as soon as possible.

More information and pictures to follow on completion.