Wildlife Garden, Paisley
The brief
To create a modern, informal garden to enjoy and relax in year round and also to be able to walk around in bare-foot. The garden is to feature a new pond, and lots of new planting compromising year-round interest and that will also be good for wildlife, especially bees. A bin store/a place to ‘hide’ the bins will also be considered. The materials to be used are to marry with the modern-style and colour-tone of the house, and can be gravel, stone and timber.
Problems to overcome
Creating a barefoot-friendly design
Integration of Garden Studio/Gym
Incorporation of desired design elements
Bin storage
Drainage issues around the side of house
The space
North-east facing, 90 square meters in size.
The design solution
The garden has been designed as an informal, immersive modern space for the family to relax, dine and exercise whilst offering a haven for wildlife, especially bees.
The design creates a journey through the garden from the kitchen patio doors to the outdoor gym.
The dining patio is set back from the house and enclosed within a timber pergola that offers a sense of scale and will also offer some screening of the gable end of the adjacent house. Except for the access points, the patio will be surrounded in planting.
Mood lighting around the dining area will extend the evening.
A stepping stone path, set in gravel and/ or softened with very low growing plants, lead from the patio and also directly from the kitchen doors, past a hammock, a wildlife pond and lots of planting to the existing outdoor gym. The deck outside the gym has been extended and reshaped to connect with the new design and offer ample places to sit whilst also providing good access to the gym.
Planting around the deck offers partial screening, softens the deck and also offers a further immersive experience, allowing the viewing of pollinators going about their daily business up close. From here, the pond can also be enjoyed at close quarters.
The pond, pergola and strategically placed plants offer focal points from different angles of the garden and especially from the gym. Sound from gentle movement in the pond will also offer another layer of interest.
Functionally, two compost bins have been included, which are screened from the deck and from the southern end of the garden.
A removable rotary line has also be included that is within easy access of the utility room. Around part of the rotary line area, a border comprising lower planting along with ground creeping planting within gravel beneath the line will offer a visual distraction from the washing whilst not interfering with the drying of clothes.
When the washing line is put away, this space could offer a space to barbecue with a portable stove and/or additional seating area.
Wheelie bins to the side of the house have been screened.
The steps to the patio doors and to the utility room have been altered to improve ease of accessibility and to replace the utility concrete treads.