A crisp, considered garden built in two phases, where a specimen memorial tree sits at the centre of sharp sandstone lines and generous planting, balanced with a quietly refined rear terrace in Millboard decking and cedar screening.
This project unfolded in two phases across 2023 and 2024, beginning with the rear garden. The front of the property was patches of heather and an old concrete path; the back had a tired, slippery timber deck. The brief called for a front garden with real visual impact, generous and low-maintenance planting, and — most important of all — a memorial tree at the very heart of the design.
Everything here was designed around sensitivity as much as style: a garden that would be genuinely low-maintenance and quietly striking, built around a carefully chosen memorial tree.
Work began in 2023 with the rear garden. The old, slippery timber deck was replaced with Millboard decking and a glass balustrade, creating a safe, stylish surface underfoot, while a Western Red Cedar fence brought both wind protection and greater privacy. The result is a charming seating area — the kind of spot made for a glass of wine or a coffee under the Scottish sun.
In 2024, attention turned to the front. A gravel driveway with ECO-grids gives a stable surface for everyday pedestrian and vehicle access, alongside a sandstone path with setts and Steelscapes steel edging, which shapes the planting beds and a small retaining wall along the drive. Planting design was led by Nick Burton, who also sourced the specimen bonsai memorial tree that anchors the whole garden. The planting has already begun to mature, with its full character still to come.
Clean, elegant, enduring — a garden built to hold its meaning, with the best of the planting still to come.
The decisions that shaped it.
- 01
Indian Sandstone Path
A refined & natural looking path leading to the front door.
Indian Sandstone - 02
Corten Steel Edging
Featuring rich amber tones.
Corten Steel - 03
Millboard Deck
Long-lasting & durable decking for dining & entertaining
Natural minerals & Resin - 04
Planting designed by Nick Burton
Including Japanese blood grass, lavender, roses and roses centred around a memorial piece.
Planting & Horticulture
