Completion of garden ‘on the beach’ at Thorpness | September 2011

A challenging project to design and build a garden 50m from the North Sea on the Suffolk coast. Following modernisation of the beachside property the builders left a barren outside space with only a few weeds remaining. The task was to come up with a scheme which would be in keeping with the natural surroundings and low maintenance but which would also feel like a garden and not just an extension of the landscape. Consideration also had to be given to neighbouring properties so as not to obscure their view of the sea which meant limiting the height and density of any planting.

A design was proposed to sit in harmony with the surrounding landscape utilising native plants and the same beach washed cobbles. A sunken seating area enclosed by an escallonia hedge was built to shelter the occupant from the sea winds and to give a little privacy from the adjacent public footpath. The garden was sculpted to mimic the undulating dunes with indigenous planting of sedges and sea kale.

The garden will take a couple of seasons to really establish but the clients are pleased and are really enjoying their new outside space.

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