Excerpts from:

The Sunday Mirror | November 5, 2006

Plan for all Seasons
Gardening this urban plot is now usable all year round thanks to a modern makeover

Adrienne Wild

SPINDLY shrubs and a tired lawn and patio formed most of this garden before Cathy and Pablo Hepworth Lloyd started work on it three years ago.

University lecturer Cathy and company director Pablo, of Chiswick, West London, needed to create a family garden that daughters Freya, nine, and Isis, seven, would love to play in.

But as they also wanted a contemporary look that would suit their modern lifestyle, architect Alastair Howe came up with a design that links the inside of the house with the new-look garden.

Here's how they did it...

Box clever with a tree

THE eucalyptus tree was already in the garden, but planted close to the boundary. Cathy and Pablo moved it to a more central position to create more shade. Now the branches arch beautifully over a timber box seat. With a few scatter cushions, this makes a perfect area to relax in.

CREATE THE LOOK Trees will impact on the moisture content of the soil as well as cast shade - so check on their ultimate height and spread before deciding whether to keep or move one. Only move trees in winter if the soil isn't frosted or unduly wet.

HOW MUCH? Expect to pay around 20 for a small tree from garden centres.

Lawns & lights

CATHY and Pablo replaced the high-maintenance lawn with artificial grass. This gives a play surface that can be used all year round. They retained a dining area/deck close to the house.

CREATE THE LOOK Lighting is a must-have feature. Cathy and Pablo have ambient lighting around the deck and halogen lights in the trees, which makes the garden look magical at night.

Bridge that gap with a soothing water feature

TO link the deck and the lawn area Cathy and Pablo had the idea of having a water feature they could cross by a bridge. Unfortunately, the cost would have bust the budget, so Alastair came up with the perfect solution of filling the pit dug for the feature with slate chippings and planting a stream of grasses and bamboo.

CREATE THE LOOK When planning a water feature, make sure the sound of running water won't disturb your neighbours. And, importantly, make sure it is safe - particularly if you have small children who play outdoors unsupervised.

Orange for appeal

THE bright orange wall was Cathy's idea to add a vibrant splash of year-round colour - the rest of the boundary walls are painted black, which helps them to recede and create the illusion of space. To break up the large expanse of orange, Alastair recommended put ting in a row of black-stemmed bamboo planted in deep black boxes.

CREATE THE LOOK Colour can alter your mood so use it wisely. By using soft colours such as grey, blue and white at the end of the garden you create a sense of depth. Stronger colours - orange, red and hot pinks - are better nearer the house.

Artificial intelligence

THE children's climbing frame and toys are hidden away from view behind a timber screen that has been made from cedar and constructed to look like a large venetian blind. Artificial grass has been used throughout to provide the girls with a soft landing and give them an all-weather playground that they can still use throughout the winter when a normal lawn would be out of bounds.

CREATE THE LOOK Artificial grass is a superb no-maintenance choice for busy households and holiday home gardens. The "grass" must be laid on a level bed of compacted sand to provide a soft landing and free drainage.

A bed on the side...

A RAISED bed on one of the boundary walls was filled with topsoil to give Cathy the chance to grow her favourite plants. She has planted anything with big fat leaves, like palms and fatsia plus an olive tree. In spring, gaps are plugged with white narcissus and for summer interest there's cannas, agapanthus, iris and lilies.

CREATE THE LOOK Even in a small garden, don't be afraid to use bold planting and allow sprawling plants to spill out and blur the geometric lines of your design. Use architectural plants to provide focal points and to avoid borders looking too fussy.