Contemporary Resort-Style Garden, Gerrards Cross
BRIEF
The owner of this sizeable Gerrards Cross property wanted to completely reimagine their garden — transforming a once-disjointed space into a cohesive, modern, resort-style retreat. Although the garden had several designed areas, it was clear they had been created at different times and lacked any unified vision. Contemporary elements sat awkwardly beside old-fashioned planting beds, crazy-paving paths, and a wide mix of high-maintenance plants that had accumulated over the years.
The client asked for a garden that felt more open, more modern, and dramatically lower-maintenance. They envisioned a space for luxurious outdoor living: an outdoor kitchen, a dedicated outdoor cinema area, and space for an outdoor pool table — all supported by fully updated lighting, electrics, pool improvements, and high-quality hard landscaping. The existing pool area felt cramped, while mature trees — including a magnificent Oak — offered both a constraint and an opportunity for anchoring the new design.
Overall, the brief was clear: create a bold, contemporary garden with high-end recreational features, effortless flow between spaces, and a sense of refined, modern luxury.
DESIGN SOLUTION
Our design restructured the entire garden, opening up long views, simplifying the layout, and creating a strong architectural identity befitting a modern luxury home.
We removed tired, overgrown planting and re-established clarity across the large rectangular site. The terrace around the existing pool was significantly extended, transforming what had been a cramped area into a generous, elegant zone for casual seating and sunbathing. A refined mix of stone and clay pavers was used to delineate each space with subtle texture and contrast.
At the heart of the design is a dramatic leisure hub: a state-of-the-art pergola in sleek black aluminium, equipped with retractable screens, sliding glass doors and an electrically operated roof. This fully enclosed structure creates an all-weather lounge with flexible seating oriented toward a large outdoor TV, integrated into a bespoke media wall complete with contemporary fireplace. Technology and beauty meet seamlessly here — a luxurious outdoor room for cinema nights, entertaining and year-round enjoyment.
The pergola extends over a dedicated outdoor pool table area, framed by informal built-in seating for players and spectators. This entire recreation zone is bordered by a contemporary water feature — a long, narrow canal with a sculptural water chute — providing tranquil sound, crisp reflections and constant movement.
Around the leisure space and pool, structured beds of architectural planting, including Trachycarpus, create an exotic, resort-style atmosphere. A new dining terrace enjoys a dramatic view across the lawn to a striking sculpture, with additional sculptural pieces positioned to enhance key sightlines and draw the eye on a journey through the garden. Nearby, a beautifully integrated outdoor kitchen and relaxed seating area ensures the chef is always part of the social hub.
We reimagined the original large boulders on site to form a contemporary stone-circle seating space, complete with pebble-style seats and a minimalist stone firepit. Clipped hedging arranged in staggered sections introduces rhythm, intrigue and changing perspectives as one moves through the garden. The mature Oak tree was fully designed into the scheme, while two existing Silver Birch were used to create a strong, elegant axis and pathway.
The front garden also received a sophisticated redesign: resurfaced drive, new planting, and a series of interlocking gravel circles each centred with sculptural cloud-pruned specimens for immediate impact.
Overall, the design delivers a luxurious sense of coherence, wow-factor leisure spaces, and a true resort atmosphere — a garden where architecture, planting, water and technology come together to create a beautifully modern outdoor lifestyle. The owner is delighted, and the build is scheduled for completion in time for summer 2026.
