The Journey garden - Orpington

We are often asked how to design long gardens as these can all too easily end up being one long path to the end with no sense of journey on the way. Our Orpington project allowed us to create a sequential series of ‘rooms’ which could be experienced on the way to the impressive Green Retreats outdoor building at the far end. By curving the pathways, positioning small ‘courtyard’ spaces close to the house and carefully locating pergola archways, one can pass through a series of doorways from one space to another, each with its own characteristic planting style. Depending on the time of day and who they were entertaining, the family could then choose which area they wanted to sit and socialise in, complete with different views of the garden and the planting. We included Corten steel planters which beautifully complement the quartzite stone walling of the curved seats, allowing a contemporary layout to have a weathered, timeless feel.