This was a low budget, high fun garden: The owner asked us to create a Gothic garden that would convey a spooky and magical feeling.
We first created a dark envelope for the garden and relocated the shed to create room for a seating area in the sun. Whimsical arches create a journey through the garden to a bird-cage like gazebo. Aged wood effect Millboard decking leads out from the house onto a newly terraced garden. The chunky York stone slabs used as steps were reclaimed from a Victorian insane asylum and the main focal point is the larch that ghoulishly drapes over the arched entrance to a gated sanctum at the rear of the garden. Black phormiums perch like spiders and offset the spiky heads of Eryngium Silver Ghost, and a lot of fun was had in playing with various bizarre plant textures and combinations. A reclaimed water feature, outdoor mirrors and a simple but atmospheric lighting scheme complete the experience.
