Show garden wins Grand Designs Garden Designer of the Year Award

My show garden at the recent Grand Designs Live event in London demonstrates just what can be achieved in a small garden space, be it a roof terrace or a backyard. The garden, entitled 'Glow: a garden to warm the soul' measured just 5m x 4m. It featured a fire wall with a smart bio ethanol-burning stainless steel fire set into a pebble wall, a floating patio with amber underlighting, and raised beds in a mix of cedar and ceramic tiles.

Details count in any garden but in a small space they are magnified. So it's even more important to get it spot on as the garden will be seen from every angle, up close and personal. It's also vital to ensure that hard landscaping materials work well together - in this instance cedar, pebble and ceramic tiles - and that the soft landscaping (the plants) will deliver interest right through the year. Texture is also important. I used a decorative aggregate made from 100% recycled ceramics for the pathway. As well as being recycled, and a great alternative to gravel, it makes for a great talking point as it's full of crushed pieces of old pottery, bathroom tiles and the like so you may spot Grandma's old teapot in there!

The show garden won the Grand Designs Garden Designer of the Year Award in a competition that was judged by Kevin McCloud and James Alexander Sinclair. It was designed to reflect the Grand Designs ethos of Contemporary, Inspirational and Ethical/environmental. Find out more about what they liked about the garden and the materials featured.

If you want to make more of your outdoor space - small, medium or large - do get in touch. Having a well-designed garden will help you make more of the space, whether it's 20m2, 200m2 or 2000m2 or larger. Give us a call or drop us an email and find out how we can help you achieve the garden of your dreams.