A city executive with a busy schedule wanted a place to relax and ease away the stresses of the working day. Somewhere that would encourage wildlife and they could feel surrounded by nature.

Our first major change was to get rid of the dispiriting lawn and replace it with two circular terraces linked by a sinuous winding pathway. This avoided the need for time-consuming mowing and made the garden accessible all year round. The paving was a combination of varying size sandstone pavers and cobbles to give the garden a warm and relaxed atmosphere. Each terrace received sunshine at a different time of day, meaning there would always be somewhere shady to sit.

The garden already had many mature shrubs and these were reviewed and those that were viable were carefully retained. Additional fragrant shrubs and perennials were planted, fences were clothed with climbers and pots were added to the terrace. The garden now has a rich lush feel, with exuberant splashes of colour throughout the season. - helping to smother weeds.