Welcome to Gardens by Design (UK) Ltd an established and widely respected landscape design and construction company, based in Tadworth, Surrey. With a highly skilled team trained in all aspects of garden construction, both traditional and modern, we cover the following surrounding areas; London, the Home Counties and Surrey.
The company has National Diploma qualified staff who have been trained at Merrist Wood College based in Worplesdon near Guildford in Surrey and has been winner of numerous gold medals at the Chelsea flower show.
Gardens by Design (UK) can offer commercial and residential clients a broad variety of services, a summary of each service can be found below:
There is now such a diverse range of brickwork or blockwork offered including the traditional free-standing, retaining and decorative walling. As well as defining boundaries, brickwork can also be used to create a garden’s space and style. It can be used to build raised flower beds, barbecues for entertaining, ponds, seating areas and decorative features.
Numerous bricks are now available on the market for each unique garden or boundary wall. Some of these are illustrated at projects in Claygate, Banstead, and New Malden, Surrey. Whether a traditional, classic, timeless, rustic or weathered finish is required, it is important to consider the following before your selection. Firstly the brick type; is it frost resistant, this will prolong the life of the wall and counteract the effects of erosion. Secondly, the low salt content; this will help to minimise the effects of efflorescence and lastly, both the colour and texture which should blend in aesthetically with the immediate surroundings.
Timber decking has become a popular addition to many homes. It creates an outdoor living area that functions as a valuable extension for those summer parties or just a pleasant place to relax. Any outside space can be transformed as decking is extremely versatile; with designs that can be tailor made to suit all sizes of gardens.
A deck is simply a wooden platform that maybe built on ground level or multi levels with balustrading, steps, inset lighting and planting. It may be supported on posts, or attached to an existing structure. The platform is composed of a wooden supporting framework, with a timber surface made from hard or soft wood decking boards. These have been pressure treated to protect the timber and come with a fifteen year manufacturer’s guarantee against rot. The boards may be laid straight or at an angle of 45 degree as illustrated on a project in Sevenoaks, Kent.
Driveways form the first impression and create the perfect approach to any home. With an exciting choice of materials and designs now available, it is a very easy way of changing the appearance of your house to blend with any lifestyle.
It is important to consider the function or intended use of the driveway. Choose materials that compliment the style of your house, as seen on projects in Weybridge, Surrey and East Grinstead, West Sussex and design the shape to enhance your property.
Some of the materials currently being offered include concrete paviors, clay paviors, natural sandstone, limestone, granite setts, porphyry, basalt and white quartzite. Chippings are an alternative material for your driveway including, white limestone, golden gravel, golden quartzite and Cotswold buff. An example of white limestone, edged in Marshall’s tegula kerbstone, can be seen on a driveway constructed in Claygate, Surrey.
Dry stone walling is an ancient craft and has become an essential part of many environments particularly in the North of England. It is now becoming popular with a wider audience and is being used in modern buildings to add character and strong visual impact. It is built using only stone, with no mortar. The types of stone used include Natural Sandstone, Limestone, Rockery Stone, Cobbles, Yorkstone, Granite, Walling Stone, Crushed Stone, Flintstone and Flagstones.
Two methods of construction have been used. Firstly, the wall constructed against an “A” frame of timber which is a freestanding wall built on a batter on either side. The second is a one side faced wall built on a batter against a retaining concrete blockwork wall. This is often necessary in order to retain large volumes of land.
An example of drystone walling can be seen on a recent project in Betchworth, Surrey.
All types of fencing are offered to enclose any garden whilst creating stunning garden features. These include the traditional lap and feather edge fencing, as seen in both Ewell and Woking, Surrey. These are either hand constructed or bought as closeboard panels. Also, palisade cottage fencing as illustrated in Tadworth, Surrey, trellis screens, decorative screens as well as posts and finials.
Qualified in greenkeeping and sports turf management the company offers a range of services including lawn renovation, turfing, scarification, lawn treatments, and all general husbandry.
As there are a large number of grass mixes on the market it is essential to select the most appropriate turf based on the type of use. Sports field mixes are available for golf, cricket, bowls, football, rugby and general playing fields. They have been developed to ensure that a satisfactory playing surface can be sustained whilst under intense use. Landscape mixes generally tend to fall into three main categories; utility, superior and premium.
Utility provides a hard wearing family lawn, particularly used with pets and children as seen in Richmond, Surrey. Superior is a high quality grade, providing a classical domestic lawn which is semi shade tolerant as seen in Woking, Surrey. Premium is a very high quality grade, offering moderate wear with a smooth and fine texture, which is again suitable for domestic lawns.
In order to enjoy and greatly increase the use of any garden, consider a lighting plan in your garden design. Over the last few years lighting has developed in many ways and can now be used to create subtle moods and highlights throughout your garden. However ambitious, lighting schemes can achieve striking and stunning effects both easily and relatively inexpensively.
Lighting can be used for both security and safety to light up steps, driveways and walkways. It can be used to up light trees, shrubs, flowers or a focal point in the garden such as a water feature, pergolas, pond or seating area, as demonstrated in a garden in Tadworth, Surrey.
Always use quality light fittings which not only add illumination but style and elegance. Lastly create an ever lasting impression, by automating the whole effect, with the use of remote controls, timers and sensors for the control of both your lighting and water features.
Patios are a great extension to any house and will greatly increase the use of any garden. As illustrated in a garden in East Grinstead, West Sussex it is important to consider the appropriate size, shape and choice of materials to blend naturally with the whole garden plan before construction. Numerous types of flagstones are now available on the market including, natural Indian sandstone, re-constituted concrete, limestone and slate, to name but a few. With ever changing trends, Natural stone has become very popular particularly for its enduring quality. Also, by its very nature, it has gentle colour variations that will blend with any home, as seen in a garden in Tadworth, Surrey.
Circle Kits add a decorative style to any paving design, creating a great focal point as seen in a garden in Betchworth, Surrey. They can break up an area of paving and add visual interest to any patio.
A Timber pergola is a perfect addition to any garden. It provides a unique focal point, adding space, style and elegance. They can be bought in kit form or can be constructed by hand. The kit form is quite useful if the size and the shape required needs to be integrated into a landscape scheme.
The pergola is a versatile wooden structure that can provide a soft screen from neighbours, a sun screen that filters light with its lattice-like canopy and great support for vines and other climbing plants. If selected carefully these plants soften the lines, offering the landscape some colour, scent and additional interest. Pergolas also form tunnels and gateways from one part of the garden to another. Circular pergolas, which come in kit form, can look effective surrounding a circular paved or decked area as seen in a garden in Betchworth, Surrey.
Pergolas can also be stained, however colours need to be chosen carefully and need to blend in with the surrounding areas. This can be illustrated in the Huf Haus garden in Claygate, Surrey, which has been designed around a classic post and beam house as featured on Channel Four’s Grand Designs.
Though selecting plants may be the final stage in planning a garden, it is in many ways the most important. The right choice of plants can complement and at the same time soften the lines of a layout and will ultimately bring your garden to life in an individual way. Height, shape and texture all need to be considered when using plants in any design: colour is another significant factor, especially important when planning for year-round interest.
There are many different planting styles which can be either formal; with a definite structure of regimented lines or blocks of ground cover, as illustrated in a front garden in Esher, Surrey or informal which is softer and more relaxed and attempts to copy nature. They can range from cottage gardens to prairie gardens, tropical borders to bog gardens. Whatever the style, plants can be used to provide different shapes, texture and colours to create that unique effect.
Cottage gardens provide an informal style with beds and borders filled with self-seeding annuals and perennials that require very little maintenance. Prairie gardens include paths of bark or gravel that wind through a dense carpet of low-maintenance perennials, with the occasional clumps of taller ornamental grasses.
Traditional herbaceous borders, often seen in large country house gardens, are usually backed by a yew hedge or high stone wall and packed with summer flowering perennials.
Mixed borders have a permanent display of shrubs, among which are planted perennials, bulbs and bedding plants as illustrated in a garden in Tadworth, Surrey.
The right choice of plants is essential to complete any garden design therefore taking time to complete a planting plan, identifying in particular plant spacing and plant association, will in the long run reduce costly errors producing a spectacular display, throughout the year, which is unique for each individual garden.
A pond can transform a garden by adding colour, light and movement. The reflective surface will fill the garden with light, coldwater fish will add colour and interest and aquatic plants will bring any garden pond to life.
The relaxing sounds of water can be introduced into a garden of any size as there are many styles of ponds available. The type that is chosen, the position and how it is stocked will depend on the style of your garden and the space available. An unusual Japanese style pond is illustrated in a small London garden in Chiswick, W4. When siting try to select an open sunny area that is not exposed to the prevailing wind; avoid areas that are in deep shade or near overhanging trees as illustrated in a garden in Wimbledon, Surrey.
On its own the pond should mature into a small nature reserve attracting visiting wildlife. If designed and constructed correctly you can create a perfect home for frogs, insects, birds and many other wild creatures.
The element of water adds a new dimension to any garden. Many effects can be achieved, in both traditional and contemporary garden designs. The gentle sound and movement of running water always creates a tranquil setting.
There are a vast range of water features available to the market. In our experience, the majority of people require easy maintenance and therefore select a water feature as a great alternative to a pond, especially if space is fairly limited in the garden.
Water features recently installed by Gardens By Design (UK) include a slate monolith, dressed with plum slate chippings, standing proud in a garden in Esher, Surrey. A terracotta urn, which gives one a restful sound of water rippling over the sides and looks great in a small suburban garden in Tadworth, Surrey. A sphere, in a garden in West Ewell, Surrey that sits dormant when dry but as the water pours over it, this wonderful glossy black reflection appears and completely uplifts the sphere producing an interesting focal point in the garden.
Alternatively, a popular feature, used by Japanese Garden Designer Maureen Busby, is a dry stream. Slate or cobbles are positioned in such a way in order to give the effect of flowing water. This can be seen in two London gardens in Notting Hill, W11 and Hampstead, NW6.
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Gardens By Design (UK) Ltd has successfully designed and constructed many gardens in London, the Home Counties and Surrey, Two new projects are soon to be added to the portfolio in Cobham, Walton on the Hill and Kingswood, Surrey. These will illustrate, amongst other things, a traditional pond, a rustic oak pergola and trellis screen fencing.
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