A 'rural retreat' garden design near Grantham, Lincolnshire
Helping lovely people to create wonderful gardens really is a fantastic way to make a living, but every now and again we really do have to pinch ourselves. It is always a thrill when we are invited to discuss a new garden design project, but we were even more excited than usual when we visited this particular customer and their beautiful village property near Grantham in Lincolnshire.
A garden design with water
The initial request for the design of this garden sounds pretty simple: our customers wanted to introduce water into their garden. What made this a special project, however, was the size of their plans- our customers wanted a small lake!
Having just moved into the stunning period property, they had taken inspiration from a recent stay in a luxury country hotel and decided that they wanted to transform an empty area of grassland by creating a large expanse of open water.
Two 'natural' garden ponds
Our design for this amazing water garden features two large ponds. The first provides a glorious backdrop for a new garden room, whilst the second pond is larger and includes a small island and a jetty for a rowing boat. Both ponds are edged with an abundance of aquatic and marginal planting, and both have quickly become a haven for a wide variety of wildlife. Wide lawn paths and extensive ‘wild meadow’ areas surround the ponds, along with an attractive blend of more than one hundred new native and non-native trees.
Unsurprisingly, the construction and planting of this large-scale project took several months, with the undoubted highlight being the excavation and sculpting of the clay-lined ponds by a highly skilled digger driver. We endured some extremely wet weather during the early stages of the garden’s creation, and enormous credit must be given to our customers for managing to stay calm despite the seemingly constant mud.
A true wildlife garden
The new garden looked wonderful as soon as it was created but, as is so often the case, it has become even more of a delight as it has matured. After a few years, the ponds look as if they have always been there, and they have become home to a large quantity of fish, frogs and visiting ducks and geese. The wild-meadow areas have also become quickly established, as have the ornamental planting areas and new trees. It's a glorious combination, providing fabulous views from wherever you are in the garden.
A new terrace with reclaimed York stone
In addition to the ponds and soft-landscaping, we were also asked to design a new terrace for the front approach to the property. Appropriately grand in scale, this new terrace features reclaimed York stone paving and a low perimeter wall constructed of local Stamford Stone. Elsewhere in the garden, multiple ornamental planting borders provide year-round colour, texture and seasonal interest.
The perfect rural retreat
A true rural retreat and the perfect escape at the end of a long working week, this wonderful garden design in the heart of Lincolnshire is definitely one of our favourites. Fortunately, our fantastic customers seem to agree:
“We have no hesitation in recommending Ian’s services. Our project comprised of two ponds, multiple flower beds and patios and has exceeded our expectations. We appreciate the professional approach that was adopted throughout. The garden is just wonderful, and we look forward to seeing it continue to develop over the coming years.”