Garden for Entertaining by the Pool

This garden already had some beautiful features: a large summerhouse, a swimming pool and 3 mature multi-stemmed trees enclosing a lovely yorkstone patio. However, the whole garden needed some structure to help bring all the elements together. I did a design using generous planting schemes to link the different areas. Large swathes of Miscanthus, Stipa and Deschampsia grasses line the way to the pool. A deep, south facing, mixed herbaceous border filled with colour will give an abundant and profuse feel to the garden throughout the summer.

Around the house there will be a pergola. Planted with wisteria and roses with lavender below, it will provide a scented, shaded walkway leading to the dining patio. The height will make the patio feel more enclosed and intimate, and also help screen the view from buses in the passing road.

For long evenings sitting by the pool, there will be a circular stone seat around a firepit. This can be made cosy with cushions and blankets for star gazing, but the soft buff Cotswold Stone will also look attractive as a feature in its own right throughout the year. Planting in this corner would be Mediterranean style with silver foliage plants like Artemesia, purple flowering salvias, and a row of statement Juniperus Skyrocket trees creating a Tuscan skyline.