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Blackhall, Edinburgh

Our clients had inherited a garden which didn’t meet their needs and was in desperate need of a makeover.

Their drive was very narrow and the path was sited right on the far left of the front boundary which wasn’t inviting nor practical to use. With a large and well used rear garden they had no need for the large expanse of lawn and wanted to make the area more reflective of their personal style and be better suited to their requirements.

We designed a larger driveway area, finished in an entirely porous Gravel stabilisation system with Flint gravel infill. We used touches of reclaimed cobbles to bring in a sense of practicality whilst tying the areas together as they line the path and lawn areas too. We used Sandstone paving slabs in a blend of muted colours, to complement the age and style of the property.

We gave the house a proper welcoming pedestrian entrance starting with a bespoke metal gate, designed to work with the lines and shapes in the space and finished in the same blue colour as the front door.

We brought height and drama over the main pathway by adding in some bespoke Scottish Larch contemporary arches which have uplighters nestled into the planting below to further enhance the area in the darker months of the year and provide practicality. We mirrored these horizontal lines above ground by adding in cobble inset details directly below too.

We added an oversized front step with large planters and lollipop trees which will be underplanted with seasonal bedding plants for colour, and fitted lights on the wall to highlight them.

We kept a small area of lawn and added some colourful planting and key pieces such as the beautiful multi-stemmed Betula to add structure and seasonal interest with it’s bright white bark. We continued the privet hedge down the side boundary for cohesion.