Brief

The brief was for a new contemporary patio and steps, and outdoor kitchen with a pizza oven and barbecue, a child-friendly water feature and a relaxed chill out zone with fire-pit and seating.

Design and outcome

The raised beds near the house were pushed back to extend the patio directly outside the house and a space was created for a small child's play area plus bistro table and chairs.

Steps lead onto a central gravelled area with a child-friendly water feature made from an old table top; the water fountain comes from the centre.

The dining area has a simple black stained arbour for growing a grape vine, the large leaves of the vine will provide shade once fully trained on the arbour.

The outdoor kitchen includes a pizza oven built by my client. The barbecue was integrated into the design with sandstone bench tops for food preparation and serving. The wall behind the oven is made from the large chunks of Yorkstone that were found amongst the original walls in the garden providing a unique and contrastingly rustic backdrop to the garden.

On the other side of the garden a chill-out zone features a corten steel firepit and Stonemarket 'timberstone' decking, which is a concrete product resembling old sleepers, but non-slippery and so much safer.

The relaxed planting of grasses and perennials has grown really well after only one season. Molinia, stipa, phlomis, sedums and alchemilla form the basis, with highlights of verbena, dahlias, alliums and rudbeckia.

'We love entertaining in our new garden and it is so much safer now for our children after the transformation'
Mr and Mrs M, Chessington