Rickyard Road, Northampton

We enjoy working on gardens of all scales. The garden in Rickyard Road belongs to a couple who are extremely keen on wildlife and happily share their space with the hedgehogs, squirrels, frogs, newts and all the birds that visit, nest and hibernate there.

However the man-nature balance having tipped slightly the wrong way, we were asked to implement a design that would bring the balance back to a more manageable level.

They also wanted a deck in the evening sunny corner next to the home office and over some conifer stumps.

We created a ‘woodland’ feel shady spot with a bark mulch floor, bulb and fern planting where they could erect the swing that their grandson likes to play on when he visits – without having it sitting out on the lawn. It is also an exciting space for a young adventurer.

Herbaceous explosions of colour and texture were planted near to the house / patio doors and around the deck. The planting here was inspired by the owner’s admiration for the ‘Rainbow Garden’ at Castle Ashby House in Northamptonshire.