The New Beginnings Garden
NOTTINGHAM
About The Project
A contemporary garden designed to create a comfortable, future-proof outdoor space for a forever home.
The clients wanted a garden that reflected their style while providing a relaxed setting for entertaining, unwinding and enjoying the surrounding views. Combining classic contemporary influences with naturalistic planting, the design creates a sense of enclosure, character and connection with the home.
Client Brief
The brief was to transform a blank new-build garden into a vibrant, wildlife-friendly space without a lawn.
Key considerations included creating comfortable areas for entertaining, introducing colourful planting, improving views from inside the house and ensuring the garden remained practical and enjoyable for years to come.
Project Type
Residential
Location
Nottingham
Style
Naturalistic Contemporary
Garden Size
Approx. 300 m²
Design Year
2026
Status
Under Construction
The Existing Garden
The garden was a completely blank canvas following the completion of the new-build property, consisting primarily of compacted soil, weeds and unfinished ground conditions.
While the space provided an opportunity to create a truly bespoke garden, it lacked structure, character and defined areas for the clients to enjoy. The challenge was to introduce a sense of maturity and permanence, creating an established-feeling landscape from the outset while carefully considering how the garden would be experienced from inside the home.
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The Design Response
The design introduces a series of connected spaces, replacing the lawn with layered planting and dedicated areas for relaxing and entertaining.
Influenced by the intimacy of courtyard gardens and the structure of classic contemporary landscapes, the layout creates a feeling of being nestled within the garden. A sunken seating area inspired by Victorian detailing provides a focal point for outdoor dining and socialising, complete with a pizza oven, while a separate lounge area with sofas and a fire table offers a more relaxed retreat.
Multi-stem Betula and Cypress planting create height, rhythm and enclosure, helping the garden feel established while framing key views from the home.
Before & After
From an unfinished new-build plot to a layered garden designed around everyday living.
The transformation introduces structure, atmosphere and seasonal interest, creating an outdoor space that feels established, welcoming and connected to the home.
BEFORE
DESIGN
Materials & Detail
A timeless material palette combines traditional influences with contemporary detailing.
Carefully selected surfaces and integrated outdoor living features create a practical yet elegant setting, designed to mature beautifully alongside the planting.
Stipa
tenuissima
Echnacea
purpurea
Rosmarinus
officinalis
Geranium rozanne
Betula utilis
Planting Palette
A vibrant, wildlife-friendly planting scheme combines colour, texture and movement with a strong structural framework.
Naturalistic planting, evergreen elements and multi-stem trees create a garden that feels immersive and established, providing seasonal interest throughout the year.
A note from the homeowners
"Each step brings together your ideas with the practicality of a living garden, colour scheme, textures, features all get worked through seamlessly until you have a design which is not only feasible and practical but also incredibly individual reflecting your own personality making your garden truly unique."
- Private Residential Client
