Contemporary Garden Design

Contemporary Garden Design Plan

Contemporary Garden Design Plan

The design for this back garden transformed the existing garden into a contemporary outdoor living space with dedicated spaces for relaxing, dining and BBQing.   The garden  is divided into two levels of approximately equal size, the upper level outside the double doors into the main living areas of the house and the lower level at the north west end of the garden.   The two levels are connected by an L shaped set of steps.   

Contemporary Garden Desing

View from the top of the garden

 

The garden  is finished in a combination of honed polished concrete, charcoal porcelain and cobble mulched planting spaces.   Rectangles of polished concrete surrounded by borders of charcoal porcelain are set at each of the two levels, designating the areas for the lounging and dining furniture.  

 

 

 

Cobble Mulched Borders

Cobble Mulched Borders

 

A feature garden building positioned in the south facing corner of the garden opens on two sides facing into the garden and is pannelled to the rear and side boundary with narrow wooden laths.   It features a BBQ, fridge and sink  and has a drop-down overhang on one side which will shade those sitting at the bar when open but will enclose this side of the building when down.   

 

 

 

Garden Lighting

Garden Lighting

 

Adjacent to the boundary, beside the polished concrete dining space, 5 feature pots are positioned to provide an attractive feature in the garden.    The upper longing space  features a gas fire pit and is connected to the lower level by a path which cuts through two rectangular beds, finished in cobbles with complimentary planting.     Outdoor lighting is a big part of this garden design, with stone globe lights in the cobble finished borders, strip lights under the step overhangs and spot lights lighting up the pots and feature plants.     

Gas Fire Pit

Gas Fire Pit

Courtyard Garden Design

Courtyard Garden Design

Courtyard Garden Design

This beautiful Courtyard Garden Design was completed for a small enclosed garden in a city location.  The existing garden was surrounded on three sides by old stone walls and there was an old evergreen tree growing in one corner.   This tree was growing at a higher level than the desired patio level which needed to be taken into account in the design if it was to be retained.  

Courtyard Patio Design

Courtyard Patio Design

Due to the size of the garden, there was no need for grass and most of the central space in the garden was finished in Egyptian Limestone, which works really well with the stone wall.  However, in order to make the link stronger and to add more interest, squares of granite cobbles were laid as inserts into the paving.  

The paved area in this Courtyard Garden Design is in a somewhat teardrop shape, which softens the hard edges of the hard landscaping further.   A slightly raised border was created in the corner with the soil sloping up to surround the existing mature tree.  The supporting walls of the raised bed were created with the same stone as in the wall, so all the walls blend seamlessly with one another. 

Corner Stone Border

Corner Stone Border

 

 

A stone bird bath is set into the opposite corner in a bed of Scottish cobbles which blends into the surrounding borders.    Finally, a set of wide steps link the courtyard to the house with borders, including one small island bed wrapping around the outside of the patio to soften the hard landscaping further.  

It’s a beautiful Courtyard Garden Design which is suitable for a small garden and makes the best of the existing old features,  blending them seamlessly with more modern materials to create a lovely courtyard style garden.

Wide Garden Steps

Wide Garden Steps

 

Once the planting starts to mature in the borders surrounding the paving,  it will soften and set off the design wonderfully.   

This lovely garden was beautifully designed by Garden Design Dublin and expertly constructed by Shane O’Dea Landscapes.   

 

Relaxing Garden Design

Relaxing Garden Design

Relaxing Garden Design

This garden design plan transformed an existing neglected garden in a built up area, into a beautiful relaxing garden designed to complement a newly renovated house and open up the views of the garden from the house into the landscape beyond.    The garden design is based on a rectangular pattern chosen to give a generous space for a central lawn to help to make the garden appear larger.

The patio adjacent to the house was laid at the same level as the floor level of the house and was finished in paving set off by a border of grey granite cobbles around the outside.      Two L-shaped limestone finished walls frame the patio and are capped in bull nosed grey granite to enable the walls to double as seating when required.    A set of central steps which widen as

Garden Design Plan

Garden Design Plan

they go down, thereby opening the patio out into the garden, lead off the patio down onto the lawn.   From the bottom of the steps a stepping stone path starts and continues through the lawn before dividing in two to reach a Pergola in one corner and a garden shed in the opposite corner.  The garden shed is nicely screened by a fence made from narrow wooden laths running horizontally.  The Pergola which is positioned in the south-east corner is L shaped and allows for seating underneath for relaxation and enjoyment.    

Pergola

Pergola

The rear of the garden is finished in a plastered wall capped with decorative metal screens, which were designed to allow light through and only partial screen the views of the landscape beyond.  Borders filled with Lavender were included in the walls around the patio to soften this space when viewed from the windows of the house and borders filled with flowering shrubs, trees and perennials wrap around the rest of the garden to help make this garden a lovely relaxing and peaceful garden space designed to help you relax and unwind after city life. 

Beautifully designed by Garden Design Dublin and expertly constructed by Shane O’Dea Landscapes

Garden Design

Garden Design

 

Small Garden Design with Great Lighting

Garden Design Plan

Garden Design Plan

 

This garden was created to transform a small rectangular garden in a new housing development in north Wicklow into a lovely outdoor space which could be enjoyed during the day and night.    The existing garden was as the builder had left it and contained just a patio and a lawn.   It was uninteresting and not very attractive to look out onto from the large feature windows at the rear of this lovely new home.    There were also four very large manholes in the lawn which were really badly placed and  unattractive.

Existing Garden

Existing Garden

The new garden design transformed this rectangular space and created a softer garden by curving the lines around the garden.   A new more modern porcelain patio was introduced with a curved edged connecting to the lawn which flowed around the garden in a semi-circular shape.   The new  patio was larger than previously and flowed into an area designed to set off the BBQ with built-in seating at both sides, creating a lovely feature within the garden.

Corten Steel Panels at Night

Corten Steel Panels at Night

 

 

 

The lawn was relaid backed up by curvaceous borders sweeping around the garden filled with  attractive plants which will further soften the hard lines of the boundaries when mature.   

A natural stone water feature was settled into one corner in a gravel bed to add a lovely feature and the soft sound of moving water into the garden.   Finally, the heat exchanger which is an unattractive inclusion in a lot of new houses and was positioned just adjacent to the patio was on clear view from the feature window of the house.   This was camouflaged by two feature decorative corten steel panels set at an angle.  

 

 

 

BBQ area at Night

BBQ area at Night

This garden is now a very attractive garden and is lovely to enjoy during the day, however, it comes alive at night when the outdoor lighting is operating.   The corten steel panels really glow in the light and the wood paneling behind the BBQ comes to life with up down lighters adding great atmosphere to the garden.    

Beautifully designed by Garden Design Dublin and expertly constructed by DJ Landscapes