With the whole garden to play with it, it was easy to fulfil the client’s desire to make the most of the sunny spots of the garden and so I created 3 seated areas.

1. Extending the decking allowed for a larger furniture set and as this is where the sun hits the garden in the late afternoon and evening I thought it would be an ideal spot for a dining table. So that it could still be an area to relax in I selected a dining set which has lounge style seating enabling it to have dual use. To define the area and with eye catching detail I added horizontal slats painted in a contemporary colour and finished with patterned trellis. The final styling touches were the plant filled crackled pots and more plants in new beds to embrace the area. For evening, spots lights were built into the decking throwing light upwards.

2. As the garden is open I wanted to section off the second seated area and did this by building a high raised bed which, once the shrubs planted in it grow, will be hidden from the decking. To create a flow and continuity I added the same coloured slats and this time with hanging planters. The matching colour allows the planters to blend in and let the young trailing plants they are filled with create a green backdrop. As a little design touch to the corner of the patio I added a little bed for a plant which will grow to add dimension.

3. The multi function summerhouse! Styled for both relaxing and entertaining it has a fold down bar and mini fridge (it’s kitted out with electricity!). The client has a love for Scandinavian interiors and so I styled the decor to reflect the taste in her house. Once personal touches are added it will be complete and a little outdoor retreat. Festoon lights bring the outside to life in the evening as well as spotlights dotted around the plant beds highlighting areas and plants.

Having downsized my retired clients missed having a garden to sit in and wanted to make the most of their balcony as an additional space to their home. When I first visited there were a few pots dotted around and a bench was the only seating so the space really needed consideration. I set to work using the existing pots, introducing new complementary ones and interesting planters for variation, adding soft furnishing to the bench for comfort, a compact bistro table for dining with raised planters to add privacy whilst eating, some lanterns for lighting creating an evening outlook and a portable heater for cooler times. It’s now a multifunctional space they can enjoy using and spending time in looking after their mini garden.

It didn’t take much to spruce up this tired and higgledy piggledy decking area. Reviving it by removing the trellising, painting the walls, cleaning and staining the decking made an easy fix. The styling followed with some new pots, planters and lanterns to finish the look. Simon, the plantsman, was given the challenge of creating a green backdrop of climbers with the request of no flowers. The solution - a mix of 4 ivies with differing leaves, markings and colouring and adding bamboos for contrast. As bamboo needs extra large and strong planters I came up with the idea of bespoke planters made to match the decking so giving the impression they are an intentional part of the decking. Interesting detail was made from cut outs in the decking floor so the ivy could be planted directly into the ground. Once the plants grow the area will be embraced in green.

Designing decking was a first for me but I rose to the challenge. For a client with a love of entertaining and specific request for a ‘high wine bench’ to capture the last of the evening sun I set to work on my design. My aim was to create a very sociable space with adaptable zones from intimate to gatherings for lounging, dining and partying. Raised beds edge the main area of the decking so the plants add dimension and soften the edges. When it came to the styling I added made to measure seat pads and scatter cushions. A simple pot with shrub breaks up the hard corner of the bench and adds a divide between there and the small dining space. New contemporary horizontal fencing brought the area up to date. For evening use I added spotlights creating a warm and relaxing ambience. An outdoor mirror reflects the light and breaks up the flatness of the wall.

So often decking or patios are added on after an extension is built with no consideration with how it might be used. Here the decking was only big enough for a small bistro table and the lawn a waste of space. This was very much an unused and unloved outdoor space. Although I am not a garden designer I do know how to rework a space to make it attractive and functional. Extending the decking, adding raised beds and creating the requested areas: bbq, fire pit, seating/dining did the trick. The riser table was a solution for multifunction in the sunniest spot and an infrared wall heater for cooler days, lanterns and pots to dress and create focal points plus spotlights for evening enjoyment.

Quite possibly the longest narrowest balcony in the world! This client has a love for the Botanic Gardens so evergreen, natural and wild was the request. Initially a spruce up of the decking with non slip paint in a contemporary pale grey to refresh then the challenge was to fit in as many plants as we could but keeping it within the weight limit for a balcony. Planters made with recycled plastic were the solution. Using hanging ones which interconnect meant clusters of dense vertical greenery could be created and also left the decking clear in this small space. A couple of planters on wheels softened the corners of each end of the balcony but easily moved whenever needed. Working his magic with the plant selection, Simon my plantsman, allowed for the compact planting required for the planters. As the hanging planters slide easily along the rail it allowed a final touch of 2 small narrow benches so the client and a friend can enjoy sitting amongst this luscious balcony.

For a client with a passion for plants, colour and spending time in their garden. A large paved empty patio surrounded the back of the house and so provided a blank canvas to create a tranquil area to relax in.

Now an attractive outlook from the kitchen and a room to step out to. Installing up and down lighters brings it to life in the evening . A fire pit has since been added and so a perfect place to enjoy coffee or wine with friends.

Clients with a love for Asia and their cat requested an Indonesian feel using some existing pots and cat friendly plants. As he is not a streetwise cat they wished to keep him within the perimeter of the garden. This brief set a challenge to create a jungle feel garden using non toxic to cat plants, plus ones he couldn’t climb on to get over the wall.

Walking through the Japanese influenced living room immediately gave away the client’s taste. With floor to ceiling windows looking out onto the balcony it was immediately apparent that this should feel like an extension of the living room. The challenge was to create it in November with all year round greenery and blooms for this shady, windy, coastal balcony. Last visited in February and the bulbs were sprouting, the Christmas Roses and Dwarf Rhododendron were in bloom. Festoon, fairy and spot lights helped make this a balcony to enjoy all year round.

The client wanted a colourful outlook from her kitchen/dining room and requested the sourcing of pots and plants and to dress the balcony. As this balcony is such a sun trap it seemed a shame not to enjoy sitting out and soaking up the rays. Therefore, they loved the suggestion of a comfy armchair with perfect sized arms for placing a coffee cup as well as a tropical print cushion to fit with the bright flowers and some festoon and spot lights to bring it to life at night. The photo was taken after the plants had been in bloom and just before the winter jasmine flowered. The strong bold colours of oranges, purples, reds and yellows will bloom again.

1. Wishing to create a pergola with which the client would feel cosseted in, an idea was to entwine it with climbers planted in the trough at the back and the base of the front posts. Once completed and the cushions added this will be a relaxing retreat amongst the flowers and scent of the climbers..

2. Creating a new lease of life to this decking by extending it and creating a built in planter. The chair now has space to sit comfortably and the planter makes a feature of the tree and grass.

3. Once the plants establish and trail this twist on a living wall will look lush with greenery.

A cosy looking entrance to entice you into The Lodge Coffee house for or a warming drink after a wintery walk at the Braids and Hermitage park.