Dale Street
The owners of this property were looking to enjoy retirement and revamp their front and rear gardens to create simple, low-maintenance spaces where they could entertain or just sit and enjoy.
Brief
Patio doors out back opened directly onto a bumpy, sometimes soggy grassy patch which wasn’t practical. A small undercover area was paved in plain concrete pavers, which stopped at the edge of the structure. Making it a tight fit for the BBQ and outdoor dining setting beneath.
Out front, the large lawn was hard to keep in shape and the path was cracked and dangerously uneven. While the owners enjoy pottering in the garden, even the gnomes agreed it was looking a little rough around the edges. The existing spaces needed some rethinking.
Design
Together with the client, we decided to extend the rear paving beyond the covered area and past the patio doors. Bringing the outside in and creating a larger space to cook and dine outdoors. People would be able to spill out onto a neat new lawn laid with artificial turf. The front garden would get an easy-to-maintain facelift. As the project was quite small, the brief was agreed upon over a conversation, without the need for formal design drawings, which also helped reduce costs.
Construction
Out back, the existing concrete tiles were pulled up, and the area was marked out, levelled, and compacted. More colour and a warmer look and feel were created with new sandstone paving. Artificial turf was installed along with cobbled edging to keep things tidy. Some low-level plants were added to fill in the gaps, provide extra ground cover, and keep the weeds at bay.
Lawns at the front of the house were relaid with artificial turf, alloy edges, a new front path, border planting, and an eco-friendly programmable irrigation system. Together with the gnomes, the owners were chuffed. They got great low maintenance space to enjoy together, or with friends, and great value for money.
