Springhill, Guildford, Surrey

BALI 2020 Award – Domestic Garden Construction – Over £250k

The client’s brief was to design and build a garden that optimised the views over the North Downs and create a garden to cater for all the family.

The main design feature is the tiered garden to the rear of the house. The first and highest level makes up the ‘entertainment’ space; a large area of sawn yorkstone which is bounded by drystone effect walling using syreford stone that doubles as seating for guests.  This tier is retained by a significant stepoc retaining wall that is faced with double sided syreford stone and incorporates the seating walling. All walls built on site have land drain systems installed behind them to negate the impact of water on the walls.

Connecting the highest tier to the second tier is a grand entrance to the wider garden made up of 23 steps that connect the two levels. The steps are inset with spot lighting and are built with sawn yorkstone to the treads and syreford stone for the risers. These steps emphasise the wider views from the top level. The steps are bound by a ‘prairie’ style planting scheme that provides year round interest and colour.

The second tier/ level is a level lawn that provides a play space for the children. This outdoor room is bounded by a contemporary planting scheme of pleached trees and yew hedging that compartmentalises the space from the rest of the garden whilst also maintain views out over the downs. The area is further distinguished my mass planting of miscanthus grasses on either side of the pleached hornbeam.

Concluding the tiered garden; the lowest point of the site consists of a tennis court that is partially hidden by an embankment made up of a chalk land meadow mix. This lower level is reached by a set of steps using re-used yorkstone from site.

A kitchen garden has been re landscaped to rear of garage and acts as a blank canvas for the client to pursue their interest in vegetable/fruit production.

Access to the house is via automated gates leading to onto a gravel driveway. The sloped entrance section is laid with Resin bonded resin. Planting to this area is predominantly evergreen to reduce maintenance.

Client: Private Client

Garden Designer: Studio Loci

Main Contractor: LDC Ltd

Maintenance Contractor: Love The Lawn Ltd