family Archives - Nina Baxter Garden Design

Family Garden, Beckenham

tcrawford — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 13:56:22 +0000

Family Garden, Beckenham

The Design Brief

To rework the existing, slightly tired garden to bring it up to date, creating a more generous terrace that flows from the house while bringing into use other areas of the garden, including a space for a garden room with rear seating area. The house faces directly south so shade on the main terrace needs to be considered.

The Challenge

The garden contains a lot of maturity such as specimen trees so the design had to work around these and also a level change towards the rear of the garden.

The Design Solution

The existing sandstone terrace is replaced by a more contemporary porcelain one and rendered, raised planters are built to provide a loose planting screen, dividing the space from the rest of the garden. A large timber pergola sits over the terrace, connecting the house with the planters and providing a framework for grape vines and climbing roses. New pathways connect the house to a garden room with sedum roof and the decked seating area is enveloped by planting borders which now encompass an existing weeping pear and a mature Magnolia.

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Family Garden, Bickley

tcrawford — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 18:05:38 +0000

Family Garden, Bickley

The Design Brief

Following a complete renovation of the house, we were asked to create a more cohesive garden space with areas for entertaining, relaxing and playing, with a clear journey between them and a beautiful aspect with a nod to the Arts and Crafts style of the house. Planting to attract wildlife was also a key factor.

The Challenge

A large site with a steep slope towards one corner and an existing, decommissioned water feature which needed to be removed. The site is in a conservation area so all trees are protected and needed to be incorporated into the design.

The Design Solution

A traditional, wrap-around terrace is added to compliment the house with wide, colourful perennial borders giving a haze of planting through which to see the larger garden. The levels are completely re-worked to provide a formal, rectangular lawn space above with steps leading down to a natural, wilder area below with new tree plantings and wildflower meadow. A long, straight path to the side of the garden leads through an avenue of fastigiate hornbeams to a communal circular seating area for evening entertaining, providing a long view down the garden.

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Contemporary Family Garden, Chislehurst

tcrawford — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 11:57:04 +0000

Contemporary Family Garden, Chislehurst

The Design Brief

A clean and contemporary design to allow the space to flow smoothly from the new kitchen/living room extension, to feature a cascading water feature down the slope of the garden and the removal of a large pond to create more room for entertaining.

The Challenge

A steeply sloping site, surrounded by heavy mature planting that blocks out the light, the main feature of which is a dated-looking pond which takes up most of the existing useable space.

The Design Solution

The pond area is filled in to create an upper, decked terrace using Ipe hardwood. Water flows through a letterbox opening along a steel rill and then down into a pool on the lower terrace. Clean, rendered, retaining walls throw light into the space while a lower dining area is delineated by an Ipe deck cut into the stone paving. Cool, lush planting surrounds the terraces.

Garden built by Elitescapes.

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Arts & Crafts Garden, Bickley

tcrawford — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:59:52 +0000

Arts & Crafts Garden, Bickley

The Design Brief

An Arts & Crafts inspired space with a real sense of permanence and seclusion to harmonise with the 1920s house, which can be used as a family garden for relaxing, eating, playing and entertaining.

The Challenge

The house once stood on a far larger plot but encroaching development over the years has meant this is now considerably reduced, leading to a slightly awkward shape that is much wider than it is long. Uneven levels throughout complicated the flow of the garden, and the planting was tired and unloved.

The Design Solution

The space was divided into ‘garden rooms’, comprising two courtyards and a centrepiece lawn with symmetrical borders and separate entertainment area featuring a bespoke pergola and day bed of English oak for those long lazy summer days. Traditional materials such as York stone and clay pavers were used throughout the hard landscaping and a series of long views created with brickwork arches. Abundant cottage garden planting alongside a line of pleached trees gives a real sense of privacy.

Garden built by Elitescapes.

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Terraced Garden, Chislehurst

tcrawford — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:57:15 +0000

Terraced Garden, Chislehurst

The Design Brief

A year-round sanctuary for the family with specific requirements to increase light levels into the new extension, and make the most of the elevated views across the top of the house.

The Challenge

The existing garden had last been landscaped in the 1970s and had an elevation of some fifty feet between the house and the back fence. The tired and crumbling brick terracing was unstable and unusable and its proximity to the house blocked light.

The Design Solution

Over 80 tons of spoil were excavated to push the garden back from the house and a series of light rendered and stone-clad curved walls were created, splitting the terracing into less steep multiple levels that reflect light whilst still featuring lush and layered planting. Using curves in this way opens up the space around the extension but also allows year-round views of the layers of planting from within it.

Garden built by Beauview Landscapes.

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Small Family Garden, Beckenham

tcrawford — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:54:45 +0000

Small Family Garden, Beckenham

The Design Brief

The client wanted a modern British aesthetic to inform the design, in harmony with her new extension, to create a real sense of continuity from the inside space out and to achieve a feeling of calm sanctuary and privacy through new screening, both with planting and materials.

The Challenge

The recent addition of the extension to the house had made the outdoor space an unwieldy rectangular shape, with several changes of level and some poorly maintained brick perimeter walls. The lack of screening and the proximity of a main road allowed passers-by to see into the space, which felt very exposed, giving no real reason to venture outside.

The Design Solution

Bespoke cedarwood slatted fencing forms the perimeter, hiding the crumbling brick walls and creating privacy without feeling oppressive, and the garden is further screened from the outside world by evergreen trees, and planting with year-round interest. A limestone seating area is reached by steps from a deck of treated scaffold boards that abuts the house and references its interior, creating a sense of flow and the feeling that the outside world is being kept at arms length.

Garden built by Beauview Landscapes.

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Courtyard Garden, Sundridge Park, Bromley

tcrawford — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 09:48:14 +0000

Courtyard Garden, Sundridge Park, Bromley

The Design Brief

The client wanted to create a tranquil. grown-up and restful space that was easy to maintain, as teaching piano from home, she needed the views from her teaching space to remain consistently smart without a lot of tidying up each day.

The Challenge

The space is wider than it is long so the view was dominated by an unattractive back-fence and had a considerable slope up to the tired lawn. The condition of the soil had deteriorated over the years so none of the existing planting looked healthy enough to distract the eye from the old-fashioned shed and its crumbling concrete base.

The Design Solution

The core solution was to build additional levels into the garden to create a journey around the space, despite its small size. A sunken area with decorative tiling gives a sense of seclusion whilst the pergola and swing seat create height and drama, balanced by a gentle water feature to create a focal point and aid relaxation. Light neutral colours on all painted surfaces fill the garden and house interior with light, and this is contrasted with a zingy palette of orange, yellow and purple planting, all in raised planters for easy maintenance to create a sense of privacy and seclusion whilst also offering ‘perched’ seating.

Garden built by Beauview Landscapes.

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