Bedfordshire barn conversion garden
BRIEF
Nestled in the idyllic Bedfordshire countryside, this project focused on transforming a countryside barn conversion into a contemporary, designer garden which blended modern design with the rural setting. The client’s property was unique, with the official garden boundaries extending into a picturesque pasture leading to a man-made lake. The challenge was to create a cohesive design that integrated the modern garden with the surrounding countryside, including views of the stunning Chiltern Hills.
The site was still under development, requiring careful consideration of new parking areas, the placement of a heat source heat pump, and access for farm machinery with rights to the fields beyond the client’s property.
The client’s wish list included:
- A swimming pool
- A home office
- Shade to cool the south-facing house and terrace
- Dining area and outdoor kitchen
- Innovative solutions for the site’s varying levels
- A sunken seating area
- Dedicated yoga spaces
DESIGN SOLUTION
The design begins with an impressive avenue of fastigiate hornbeam trees, offering a formal yet natural arrival experience that seamlessly blends with the surrounding landscape. New parking areas at the front of the house were softened with planting beds, timber panels, and small sections of hedging, ensuring the functional space remained visually appealing.
The planting style was kept simple and contemporary, featuring repeated patterns of shrubs, trees, and blocks of perennials like white hydrangea, alliums, lavender, and ornamental grasses. Small trees were strategically placed to add depth and provide much-needed shade.
The main garden was terraced, with ramps incorporated to facilitate easy navigation across the site. A palette of materials, including natural stone cladding, Cotswold stone-colored porcelain slabs, dark porcelain sheets for raised beds and coping stones, and composite decking, provided a striking contrast of colors and textures.
The home office was designed in an L shape, wrapping around the swimming pool to form a combined pool house, seating area, and office with views over the fields. This structure was positioned adjacent to an outdoor kitchen, perfect for preparing food and drinks to be enjoyed by the pool.
The transition from the formal garden to the paddock was managed with intermittent hedging units, marking the garden boundaries while maintaining views. Gaps in the hedging allowed for mown grass paths leading to the paddock, which featured sweeping areas of flower meadow planting, creating a romantic path to the lake. Harmony between the contemporary garden and the rural setting was achieved through the use of clipped Beech columns, providing structure while blending with the hedging and surrounding trees.
A sunken fire pit area, featuring a multi-level cascading water feature, added to the modern theme. From the house and sunken seating area, a large porcelain ‘frame’ within one of the hedges created a unique ‘window’ view of the swimming pool area. In response to the client’s desire for wisteria arches, these were included to create enchanting walkways.
Thoughtfully designed lighting added a magical yet inviting atmosphere, enhancing the garden’s allure well into the evening.
