Sarah & Yan - Rochford, Essex

The Clients - A young couple with 2 small children and contemporary taste

The garden - Quite small, awkwardly shaped and laid to lawn. Very poor soil (full of builders waste), poor fences.

The brief - A modern, practical, low maintenance garden that can be used for entertaining and a safe place for the children to play 'out of sight' - budget £12k

The design solution - The angle of the right hand perimeter cuts across the garden creating a diagonal which inspired me to create a dynamic oblique shape and journey throughout the garden. I've used changes of level throughout the garden to give the garden volume. The eye is now drawn into the garden instead of out to the overlooking buildings by creating visual resting points throughout. The design draws you into the garden from the house and rear entrance and gives distinct zones for all the families needs. The children's play area is screened from the rest of the garden and two decks create very different atmospheres for entertaining. I restricted the use of primary materials to wood and stone help create a feeling of space and continuity throughout the garden, whilst the custom made galvanised screen adds a striking, contemporary feel. Planting is largely evergreen, architectural and low-maintenance. LED lights set into the decks and low voltage lighting within the vegetation make the garden beautiful and usable at night too. Finally, the water feature is centrally located for maximum impact in the garden and from the house.

"The end result is beyond our expectations - we are so pleased! The garden is just so beautiful now, we find ourselves out here all the time, even in the depths of winter. It's amazing how much bigger the garden feels now - our friends and neighbours can't believe the difference. We couldn't be happier with the way the guys worked on the project - in fact we're saving up now to have them back to do the front garden." - Sarah