Mediterranean-Themed Garden

THE DESIGN

The garden is a modern Mediterranean-themed space with rustic authentically Italian elements and lush planting. Natural materials such as wood, sandstone, gravel, terracotta, and wicker are used for hard landscaping, garden furniture, and decorative elements.

To visually correct the narrowness, the garden is divided into two areas, the lawn area and the pool area. The two areas are separated by a line of trees, which create a visual barrier, while keeping the two areas united.

An outdoor kitchen with a BBQ and a reclaimed-wood dining table and chairs is surrounded by a pergola entwined with vine.

A patio with sofas and a coffee table provides an open-air area to relax. The area is exposed to the gentle morning and late afternoon sun. The patio provides views of the lawn, the borders of colourful perennial plants, and, through the arbour, of the statue of Neptune on the far side of the pool. The patio is paved with wood, which is a warm natural material that looks stunning against the green lawn. The patio is furnished with comfortable Mediterranean-style furniture. There are two sets of steps in the patio, one that allows to step straight onto the lawn and another that leads towards the outdoor kitchen.

The patio and the outdoor kitchen are connected by a gravel path, which continues to the stone water basin set within the wall. The path is decorated with terracotta pots with a selection of Mediterranean-style plants.

A path of stepping stones winds across the lawn to the pool area. Stepping stones rather than a paved path ensure that the lawn is perceived as one whole area and creates a sense of wholesomeness.

The pool area is entered through an arch entwined with jasmine.

The pool in the centre is surrounded by sunbeds and a Mediterranean-style table and chairs. The sunbeds are exposed to the sun all day long. The area is paved in micro gravel, which is typical for Mediterranean gardens.

The statue of Neptune, which is located between the columns against the northern wall of the garden, is the focal point of the area visible immediately on entrance.

The area is planted with Mediterranean-style plants, which thrive in the UK. The trees include bay tree (laurus nobilis), dwarf fan palm (chamaerops humilis), and common olive (olea europaea). Lavender (lavandula angustifolia) is planted by the pool, while Mediterranean cypresses (cupressus sempervirens) and Mexican feather grass (stipa tenuissima) alternate with each other along the western wall of the garden behind the sunbeds.

A hanging chair is set in the cosy bottom-left corner of the area, which allows to hide from the world and to read enjoying a lovely view.

A shed is hidden behind a trellis entwined with jasmine in the north-west corner of the garden. There is a “secret door” in the trellis that provides access to the shed.

The garden is lit to create an inviting atmosphere at night. The outdoor kitchen is decorated with festoon lights, the patio is lit with ground lights and strip lights, and the borders, the planting in the pool area, and the statue of Neptune are lit with spotlights.