With garden designers getting plans underway for the Chelsea Flower Show in May 2013, Kate Gould who will be designing a large garden this year, gives us a little insight into her work.
This garden was a complete change from the garden originally on the site. The house was totally refurbished with an exit to the rear open space created at basement level and so a connection between the house and garden was required resulting in an excavation of soil to provide a lower ground floor terrace and steps. Portland stone runs throughout the kitchen and also outside into the garden where it clads walls and provides terraces and steps. This is contrasted by tightly clipped shapes; Buxus hedging and pleached Carpinus which add structure and interest all year round and ultimately lead the eye to the far end of the garden where a bespoke glass fireplace sits. This is lit in the evenings with lights that can change colour resulting in an effect that is a subtle or as ‘party’ as the mood dictates. A pair of ‘Cloud’ range Gloster sofas sit either side of the fireplace and are in a fabric that can withstand rain and all the elements that the British weather can throw at them. All they need is a hose down occasionally which makes them very low maintenance. The grass too is low maintenance as it is artificial, but it is almost impossible to tell that it is and because it is artificial the water feature running along one edge of it is never clogged with grass clippings. There are two other water features / rills that lead into the ground level pool and these create a gentle splaying voice which creates a sense of calm in the garden.
Kate Gould is an award winning garden designer with more than a decade’s hands-on experience transforming gardens of all sizes. A regular exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower Show, Kate writes a regular blog for the Guardian blog filled with tips for transforming your garden. www.kategouldgardens.com
