Pro Landscaper Outdoor Living Special

Outdoor LivingSPECIAL

Are you looking for innovative new products for consideration as offerings for your clients? Utilisation of outdoor spaces, whether as additional rooms or covered external spaces, is a trend that is here to stay.

Rising Global UK Ltd is a subsidiary of a Turkish company with 20 years of designing, conducting and fitting technology leading pergolas and awnings in both residential and commercial properties to allow outdoor spaces to add value to properties.

Our high quality bioclimatic aluminium, traditional PVC and glass roofed pergolas along with a number of awnings are manufactured in a state of the art 20,000m2 factory in Turkey.

Rising Global UK sales offices and showrooms in the UK to make it easier to do business with us.

Irrespective of whether the space is residential or commercial, bespoke made to order products can be manufactured in a timely manner to meet your business’s needs.

WELCOME

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who’d disagree that outdoor living has soared in popularity in recent years and who would disagree that it’s the pandemic that sparked it. Stuck in our homes, allowed out only for exercise and to grab essential supplies, the public started to look to their gardens as a sanctuary.

Fortunately, the landscaping industry – which has always known the value of outdoor spaces – was in a prime position to take advantage of this boom.

Whilst the boom might have levelled out, clients are still investing in their gardens, and outdoor living spaces are seemingly more creative than ever, with a string of innovations from manufacturers to help bring these to life. From small courtyards to acres of land, there are options for gardens of all sizes.

In our new Outdoor Living Special, you’ll discover a few of the latest products to hit the market for a range of budgets; portfolios to offer inspiration for upcoming projects; tips on planting for function and aesthetics; as well as the top trends for the year ahead from leading garden designers. We’ve also dived into how technology has evolved in outdoor spaces and the impact artificial intelligence could have on how clients are able to use their gardens.

We don’t think it’s optimistic to say that the outdoor living trend is here to stay, though how this looks is bound to change, which could bring with it a series of opportunities for the landscaping industry if we stay ahead of the curve – and we’re committed to helping you do just that.

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Whilst

Outdoor Living Trends 2024

We ask some of the brightest minds in stylish outdoor living design what trends we can expect in the coming months

Debs Winrow

Creative director, Garden House Design gardenhousedesign.co.uk

2024 will continue to see the trend of extending our clients’ indoor style seamlessly outdoors. Louvered and retractable canopies will be a popular feature, allowing outdoor spaces to be enjoyed year-round, regardless of the weather. Canopies will not replace outdoor garden buildings or conservatories but will provide flexibility and functionality throughout the seasons. Outdoor kitchens will become more luxurious, which means that outdoor cooking solutions will be exciting to design with this year! The right choice of outdoor furniture will be important to determine early in the season – think modular sofas, storage, and casual to formal dining.

Jacquie Felix-Mitchell

Garden designer, Oasis Garden Design oasisgardendesign.co.uk

Broken down into three categories; plant selection, materials and colour palette, I would predict that in 2024 we will see more tough trees like Betula utilis, and Trachycarpus fortunei, combined with flowers with great seedheads such as Helenium, Verbena bonariensis, Papaver and Dipsacus fullonum. Trends would suggest that there will be bigger gaps between pavers for better drainage in permeable hard landscaping as well as a greater reuse of “found elements” such as old wheelbarrows and repurposed containers. As for colour, anything you like! It’s personal – but I’d say limit colour choices for harmony. “Clashes” like blue and orange, or simply green on green, with extensive use of grasses.

Rachel Bailey

Garden designer, Rachel Bailey Garden Design Ltd rachelbaileydesign.co.uk

In 2024, there will be a greater focus on people using gardens to connect with nature and for their health and wellbeing. We will continue to see gardens designed ecologically for wildlife at all stages of their lifecycle. We will also see a focus to protect soil during the build and afterwards through considered management by increasing the amount and diversity of planting, including native plants, which is good for health-giving soil and air microfauna and fungi, minimising the amount of hard landscaping and making paving permeable. We will continue to see the existing materials repurposed to minimise new resource use.

Mark Lane

Managing director/principal designer, Mark Lane Designs Ltd marklanedesigns.com

With gardens getting smaller and more people growing ornamentals and edibles in pots and containers, there will be an increase in hanging planters, entire hanging gardens and using hanging planters as screening –perfect for the beginner gardener.

Borders filled with multiple layers of textured planting will be key. Large-leafed plants and dense planting of native plants will be seen as laid back and casual. Rich pollinator plants will be used, planted to surround seating areas for a more complete and full-on sensory experience.

Droughts and other extreme weather conditions are being experienced all over the UK and overseas. Water-wise plants will therefore play a big part in 2024; and to reduce carbon footprints and to garden more sustainably grass lawns will be replaced with either larger flower beds or dry gardens covered with mulch, such as gravel.

James Scott

Managing director, The Garden Company thegardenco.co.uk

I have always been motivated to create a connection between people and their innate love of nature. As we look ahead to 2024, I’m delighted to witness the growing popularity of this concept – known formally as biophilic design. The design intention is a seamless integration between indoor and outdoor spaces which draws on the beauty of nature. This will include using more vernacular, sustainable materials and a shift to more soft landscaping, with an emphasis on naturalistic, immersive planting. Such outdoor spaces will be a haven not only for the homeowner, but for local wildlife and pollinators too.

Martin Baker

Ashleigh Aylett

Landscape designer, Erlam Studio + John Davies Landscape erlamstudio.com johndavieslandscape.co.uk

The year 2024 bids farewell to greys sofas and modular designs, ushering in an era of casual and carefree styles in seating. Outdoor seating will take on a more relaxed approach, with color and patterns extending seamlessly from the house to the garden. Maximalist florals are set to flourish, injecting botanical inspiration into outdoor textiles. In the realm of furniture, sculptural pieces will take centre stage. The trend towards artisanal crafted furniture with a focus on sustainability will continue. Furniture made from locally sourced trees, sometimes harvested from the garden itself, is not only light on the Earth but also makes a bold statement in outdoor spaces.

Managing director, Bakers Garden Buildings bakersgardenbuildings.co.uk

Over the years, Bakers Garden Buildings has seen trends evolve from natural timber shades to the current popular dark anthracite grey. Now, indications from trends suggest an increasing use of black garden buildings in the coming years. Accentuating black doors and claddings with Oiled Oak or Iroko creates a stunning, timeless look.

At Bakers, we’re passionate about leading in design. We’re excited to collaborate with garden designers on new colours and materials, aligning with the rising trend of garden rooms seamlessly blending into landscape designs. This requires us to creatively reconsider our approach to colours and materials.

Michelle Brandon

Horticultural therapist and garden design lecturer, KLC School of Design michellebrandon.co.uk

Designers incorporate within the site analysis a habitat mapping document, looking at species declining in that area, adapting, incorporating, or enhancing food and habitat sources within a design. One example being, the Adonis Blue butterfly, a resident of South England chalk downland that’s sole larval food is Horseshoe Vetch, numbers are declining rapidly.

Forest gardens are the way forward. Mimicking the structure of a forest, the canopy of a few choice trees gives dappled shade to shrubs and perennials which in turn create a shady forest floor. This requires minimal input and soil disturbance. This not only serves as a habitat and food source to animals but also an exceptional space for growing diverse food crops, including fruit, nuts, seeds, leaves, and the trending mushrooms. A complex mini ecosystem that has countless benefits for many.

Jane Ashley

Garden designer, Jane Ashley Garden Design janeashleygardendesign.co.uk

An important developing trend in garden lighting is the installation of ‘dark skies’ lighting, aiming lights down rather than up and avoiding excessive illumination, to minimise disruption to insects, birds and other wildlife. Awareness is growing helped by education campaigns by some in the industry, such as Hudson Lighting.

I expect we will also see clients become more concerned about water management, drought and flooding. This will mean greater popularity for rain gardens to help reduce run off into the water system, and increased use of drought resistant plants such as Artemisia, Euphorbia, Echinops, and Eryngium

The brief

DIVE RIGHT IN

YHB Contracts selected EVi Pools for a project that combined quality, passion and intelligent design

Our client, YHB Contracts based in Orpington, selected EVi as its preferred supplier after evaluating options for its swimming pool installation in Tonbridge. It was particularly drawn to EVi’s trade package for its uncomplicated installation and aesthetics of the finished product.

The end customer, a passionate swimmer who regularly attends the local swimming pool, had a specific requirement for a swimming turbine (The Training Pack) to elevate his daily training regime. Given the presence of dogs in their household, the client also chose the Family Pack safety cover to ensure the safety of their pets around the newly installed pool, at all times.

The design

The client opted for an EVi X pool, a choice boasting external dimensions of 10.3m x 3.5m,

Client review

featuring a single set of steps to the side and a built-in relaxation ledge for any necessary post-training unwinding.

After delivery, the pool was carefully lifted into position using a crane and the backfilling operation was efficiently completed within five days from delivery. The strategic placement of the pool, situated to the side of the house with the pool pod discreetly tucked away in a corner, enhanced the overall finished design.

The challenges

The garden area where the pool installation was planned, naturally sloped downwards towards the pool. To address this, YHB strategically incorporated a small retaining wall incorporating drainage.

Access was restricted to the intended pool location. To address this challenge, EVi suggested a reliable local crane hire

“We chose to have an EVi pool in our garden, and we could not be happier! The entire process, from design to completion, was smooth and stress-free. EVi Pools helped us pick the most suitable location for the pool, and throughout the project, they were attentive, informative and professional. We cannot recommend them highly enough.”

company, which YHB engaged to facilitate a contract lift for the day.

The outcome

YHB completed the installation with meticulous attention to detail, achieving a very high standard in its finished result. The client was delighted with the final outcome and pleased to be able to invite friends and family over throughout the summer to enjoy their new outside area.

Find out more about EVi Pools trade accounts and pool packages: evi.co.uk/evi-for-the-trade

Pool: EVi X 10.3m x 3.5m (Contemporary Anthracite Grey)

Options: Training Pack – Swimming Turbine, Family Pack – Safety Cover

Tailoring the EXPERIENCE

Following a passion that started as a youngster – after seeing her Dad sketching designs for the family garden on the back of his cigarette packet – Karen McClure is now a renowned garden designer.

McClure explored various professional ventures before discovering a love of plants. Fortunately, she was encouraged to explore a career in horticulture. “My dad’s motto was ‘live for today’ and he was passionate that we should spend time doing the things that ‘light you up in life’!” Embarking on her own design journey, McClure was ambitious, going on to become one of only three to receive a distinction in her design diploma at London’s Museum of Garden History.

But it wasn’t for several years that McClure took her talents and started to build her own business. “My dad had passed from a fatal heart attack mere weeks before the birth of my twins and that put life firmly into perspective for me. Life is a great leveller and at this point, ‘live for today’ took on a whole new meaning – I decided to take his advice a bit more seriously.”

After starting off as a hobby, then sole trader Karen McClure Garden Design Limited opened in 2019, crafting her beautiful outdoor creations.

“We specialise in design, but collaborate with excellent accredited landscapers, various artisans and trades to implement the build and create a one-stop-shop for the entire process. We are proud to be working on several projects; all are significant, from simple planting projects through to several project builds that have just started, ranging from overall spends of £200k to £1m.

“Since the pandemic, there seems to be more focus in creating a safe space to entertain, relax and focus on wellness – transforming gardens to enhance connection to nature. Integrating a feature within a composition of trees and plants allows thoughtful placement and even the smallest of gardens can still contain zones, to break up the space and create a journey.”

Life is a great leveller and at this point, ‘live for today’ took on a whole new meaning –I decided to take his advice a bit more seriously

The biggest challenges, however, according to McClure, are realistic time frames and budget clarity. “Landscaping requires a good investment and is costlier than people might anticipate. During the initial consultation stage, we ask

that the client shares their intended budget or, alternatively, we give them an idea of costings. We track the costs of many of our projects and have compiled a document that we share with clients with images of our completed projects and their final cost, so they get ‘real life’, financially realistic examples. We do this to manage expectations and explain that the sharing of an investment figure is not a target; it is to help the process and gain trust.”

Looking over her extensive portfolio, the projects that stand out to McClure have been those where the client puts their faith in her and simply trusts the process. “These are often the projects that springboard you to the next level, helping to elevate our portfolio whilst also championing the skill set of our individual team members and bringing business to our wider network of industry colleagues.”

There now seems to be a significant shift from the traditional “patio, lawn, shed and a couple of planting beds”, to clients becoming more discerning and adventurous, trusting designers like McClure to create wonderful outdoor spaces that will be functional and add value and enjoyment to their lives.

Garden designer Karen McClure takes her clients on a journey, all with the destination of spending more time outdoors in their new space

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the Spaces SOFTENING F

or a few years, the “formulaic” style of greyscale hard landscaping and artificial grass seemed to be the trend for outdoor living. But garden designer Nic Howard says a naturalistic look is coming into fashion, which is good news for the avid plantsman. He founded his own design and soft landscaping company We Love Plants out of – well, a passion for plants. And it looks as though clients might be starting to catch onto the benefits they can add to a garden, with “wilder” planting schemes catching their eyes.

Be careful not to confuse this with ‘rewilding’ though, warns Howard. “It’s a bit of a buzz word. A lot of people are saying that they’re rewilding their garden but are actually just neglecting it and now there are brambles. That’s not rewilding. Gardening has always been about planting and harnessing nature and being aware. At RHS Hampton Court this year, we’re doing a show garden for a travel company that’s all about sustainability and man’s footprint on nature, but we’re doing so with recognisable domestic popular plants to create that ‘wild’ look.”

This will be more relatable to the show’s visitors, using “plants that people can connect to,” says Howard. “This is where I see the rewilding trend going – people having a strong hand in their planting in the garden, rather than just doing nothing – taking the love of flowers and for wildlife and creating a haven. That’s what we try to do.”

It’s catching the industry’s attention too. At the start of February, Howard’s Windmill Bank project won the Planting Award at the Society of Garden Designer’s annual ceremony. Towards the end of last year, it also won the Special Award for Best Design & Build as well as being the Principal Award winner in the Domestic Garden Construction – Soft Landscaping category at the National Landscape Awards 2023.

After a series of award wins for his approach to soft landscaping, We Love Plants founder Nic Howard shares his tips for creating an inviting planting scheme

When Howard first arrived on site for Windmill Bank, “it looked as though the house had just landed in the garden.” There was a large gravel driveway that led straight onto paving which stretched across the front of the house. Otherwise, there was a lawn and small planting beds that had little impact.

“On arrival, you could see everything at once, from the gravel drive onto the lawn onto the tennis court. So, we wanted to use planting volume and hedges and trees to create

containment on arrival at the front door. We lifted all the existing paving slabs, cleaned and reused them, then added new stone in along with panels and bricks for the pathway.”

Outside the back door, the kitchen extension backed onto an L-shaped terrace filled with paving. “It was featureless and windy, and noone would sit out there unless it was close to the kitchen doors for shelter. So, we pushed out a circular entertaining area into the garden, then surrounded that with voluminous planting and eight Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’ trees to add

This is where I see the rewilding trend going – people having a strong hand in their planting in the garden, rather than just doing nothing verticality and create a room-like dimension. And it worked beautifully. You’re drawn to the garden whatever the season.”

Whichever the project, Howard always wants to create intimacy with the planting and

balance this with the hard landscaping. Like with Windmill Bank, he favours designing room-like settings, starting with taking into account the party size that’s going to be using the space and surrounding that area with a range of different plants to add volume and soften it.

“We design quite clean, functional lines, but we use planting to create a natural, soft edge. Some use hard landscaping to do this, by adding random curves in the paving, for instance; but we let plants create those edges.”

Nectar-rich plants are incorporated for biodiversity, such as roses. “Some clients have favourites, the bigger, more showy varieties, but we try and include more single flowers in there too to benefit wildlife and provide a long season of interest with scent. Evergreen climbers on walls and evergreen shrubs might act as a kind of backbone. Clients are using their gardens all year round – we even have some clients who cook their Christmas turkey in a Big Green Egg – so it’s about creating a usable, visually interesting space all year round.”

Nearer the house, the planting tends to have a “cleaner look” that gets “wilder” the further away it gets from the house –

though there’s still a wild element close to the property. The temptation is for a “sea of paving” to offer a contemporary look, but that leaves an empty room, says Howard. Instead, pots or planters can be used, or multistem trees, to create rooms here too. Trees can provide natural cover and subtle divisions.

Then there’s a growing trend towards edible planting, but designers may want to gauge how keen clients are really going to be when it comes to using and maintaining these plants. “Everyone likes the idea, but if you’re really busy, it can be difficult to keep them looking that good. So, we use herbs – oregano and thyme, for instance, on the front of the borders. These can be picked and used easily but also, on a sunny terrace, give a Mediterranean-style aromatic foliage. With any garden, you’re trying to take someone away from the everyday humdrum, so consider wellbeing qualities – it’s an oasis away from everyday life, and you can do that regardless of garden size.”

As Howard has shown us, whether it’s a warm summer day or a gloomy, wet winter evening, planting can effortlessly bring an outdoor living space to life and provide that haven, both for people and for wildlife.

STAY CONNECTED

Technology is extending from the home into the garden, creating a “luxury” experience for clients

The lights flicker on above the outdoor kitchen, the fire pit bursts into life and the speakers start playing a crowd-pleasing soundtrack – all at the click of a button labelled ‘Entertain’. Looking to relax after the last person has finally left? Switch to the ‘Relax’ setting, which turns off the functional lighting and instead leaves you under atmospheric lights from the canopy overhead and a playlist worthy of Radio 1’s Chillest Show.

Outdoor technology is swiftly catching up with devices inside the home, meaning you can charge your phone, watch TV and listen to your favourite artist all from the comfort of your sun lounger – which means your clients can too.

Helping to spearhead the growth of this technology is Alex Jones, founder of The Smart Home Garden, which helps to bring

smart technology to the outdoors and make it as accessible as possible.

“The Smart Home Garden was born out of a desire for clients wanting to bring technologies and life comforts that were used indoors, outdoors. This luxury living and entertainment is something that people have come to expect and think they should be able to have wherever they are. The Smart Home Garden answers that problem,” says Jones.

It’s not just a company – The Smart Home Garden actually exists as a permanent fixture at Potters Home Digital’s showroom in Kent. “We’re able to take people through a journey and show them the different areas whilst educating what’s possible. We can show how outdoor audio could be designed and considered and show the way we hide technology to be part of the landscape, using moving panels, for instance, so the technology

only reveals itself when it’s needed – or maybe it doesn’t reveal itself at all, just the desired effect, such as lighting or music. It’s a more considered approach to technology outdoors which enhances the luxury experience.”

Whilst the full smart garden might be for those with a hefty budget, there are solutions and options to reach all budgets, explains Jones. Take Samsung. “It produces an affordable outside TV in a range of sizes that are only a few hundred pounds more than your TV indoors; five years ago, an outdoor TV started around £10k, whereas it’s now around £2.5k, so it’s more affordable now and there are more options available.”

There’s audio and visual, for a start, so users have the ability to control lighting and speakers to create a certain ambience. Garden designers and landscapers can use “technology partner” The Smart Home Garden

to bring this all together at just the press of a button to create the intended impact. It can be more energy efficient too; instead of one light switch turning on all the lights, users can select the lighting that they need and dim or brighten it as required.

Water features, irrigation and security such as access control can all be automated too and in the same app as the lighting and sound.

We work with the designer to bring to life their intention by creating zones in the garden using the technology, all from one button

“We don’t want a client to have 20 apps on their phone to run a garden or multiple control interfaces on walls to maintain it or a drawer full of remotes. That’s the skill – to make what we do become part of a lifestyle, part of the reason that they’re landscaping their garden. Our job is to extend that and make something that they can really enjoy in the simplest form

and to show off. We can help them elevate their experience. It’s what we call ‘integration’, where we give customers one app that is customised for their garden. We work with the designer to bring to life their intention by creating zones in the garden using the technology, all from one button.”

It helps that more products are being produced to be part of the Internet of Things (IoT), so they can be connected. More and more smart devices are coming to the market which can then be integrated into one solution, says Jones.

The next big advancement in outdoor technology that we can expect to see in the next few years is, perhaps unsurprisingly, artificial intelligence (AI), according to Jones. “AI is going to come into these spaces and control the garden for you. AI is just computer learning, so it will start to run and maintain the garden. Take your irrigation system. It will become more aware and will know the weather pattern. So, it will know if there has been an extended period of drought or high heat, and it can amplify the irrigation automatically. You won’t need to remember to do this; it will learn the patterns of

how the garden is used and will reprogramme itself automatically to save energy.”

In The Smart Home Garden in Kent, the cameras have AI perimeters built into them, so if someone approaches a sculpture too close after dark, for instance, the tripwire is triggered, and every single light will turn on to 100% and an alarm sound plays through the speakers.

“It’s going to evolve, of course, and there’s going to be more that comes into it such as safety. AI is still in its infancy. The big step is when all these products communicate with each other to answer bigger problems. It’s going to constantly change, and it will need a skilled programmer or engineer to configure it. There are a lot of hidden elements that people don’t appreciate.” To help garner an understanding, The Smart Home Garden offers a free CPD course that can be taken in person or online – Extending the outdoor living through the use of technology.

Incorporating technology into an outdoor space can be daunting, but it might soon be the expectation, and the industry is best placed to be ahead of the curve.

ENTERTAINING Enlightened

Sky Entertaining, Kensington, London

Maïtanne

Images ©Marianne Majerus

Cleverly

considered lighting is key to the design

This project served up an impressive, intimate outdoor area that makes bold visual statements in the evening

Two keen art lovers, who are partial to a very busy social life,were looking to revive their terrace into an inviting space which embraced their far-reaching city views, whilst providing an intimate and exceptional setting for memorable parties both by day and by night.

Inspired by the clients’ bold art collection including two uniquely sculptural trees, to provide the link between the interior artworks

and the outdoor terrace, Maïtanne Hunt Gardens & Landscapes carefully chose to display two statement Torc pots housing evergreen trees to divide the terrace into three zones for dining, entertaining and relaxation.

Cleverly considered lighting is key to the design, both for viewing of the garden from within the apartment and for use of the space at night. A fire bowl and discreet heaters in the seating area add light and warmth. The use of skilful lighting design creates an extra dimension to the terrace by night, emphasising the play of light and shadows on key features, which become works of art in their own right.

The clients’ apartment opens out onto the exposed roof terrace from two points and is located on the seventh floor of a Victorian red-brick building in London. It also consists of two sections linked by a narrow walkway, added by a previous developer when converting the current property from two flats into a single unit around fifteen years ago; when traversing the walkway, one could not avoid seeing the vertiginous seven-storey drop.

The exposed terrace and its components were largely grey and seemed to merge with the grey London skies, which created a sense of unease and discomfort. In combination

with the vertigo-inducing walkway, the lack of shelter from the elements, and the tired Mediterranean planting in mismatched containers, the terrace was neither welcoming nor beautiful. Worse still, the decking was irreparably damaged and hazardous in places, several items of furniture were broken, including the wall mirrors and wall lights.

Challenges arose upon stripping back the old decking. It was discovered that both the roof surface below and the parapet walls were seriously damaged. This damage, along with the need for new lead coping and other urgent repairs which emerged, had to be addressed

Project details

Project value: £31,870 (cost of lighting design and installation)

Build time: 4 months

Size of project: 96m2

Awards: Supreme Winner at the Pro Landscaper

Project Awards 2023

prior to any design works. Permissions for lift use by the team to access the terrace were also not granted, requiring a long walk up and down the metal fire escape several times a day, often with heavy materials or items of furniture. As the use of a crane was also not possible, they successfully negotiated raising an existing scaffolding tower plus hoist to the terrace level for transport of trees, materials, and waste.

Since Maïtanne Hunt’s intervention, the terrace has been completely transformed from a dull, windswept, and sun-scorched platform into a truly verdant oasis, with coherently links areas where people can relax in comfort, connect with others, and enjoy the spectacular views.

Careful positioning of trees and lighting, including using evergreen climbing jasmine to screen the steep drop from the walkway, helps to lead the eye away from the seven-storey void. Even up on the seventh floor, the drought and wind tolerant planting is attracting all sorts of wildlife.

Lighting is a fantastic design tool and one that Hunt exploited throughout this project. It can be used to highlight specific plants or features, whilst drawing the eye away from those with less visual appeal. It elicits a totally

1. Seating area with its comfortable seating and welcoming lighting

2. An intermediary/transition zone

3. Backlit mirror reflecting the seating area

different mood in a garden after dark, so that one experiences the space in a whole new light.

In this project, the lighting design makes the terrace metamorphose into an entertainment setting at night which enhances the clients’ sophisticated style. Each zone has its own distinctive mood now, yet forms part of a harmonious whole, where design features and striking trees are displayed to their best advantage and late-night entertainment, complemented by the glow from the fire bowl and discreet heaters, is the source of many compliments.

Maïtanne Hunt used John Cullen’s award-winning range of exterior light fittings for this project. Hunt also ensured that where possible, existing planters, mirrors, furniture, and the BBQ were reused or repurposed and that local suppliers and those with good sustainability credentials were sourced. In addition, the team shared existing scaffolding/hoist infrastructure to reduce its resource use. Introduction of trees, shrubs, climbers, and perennials suitable for the challenging environment of a roof terrace ensures longevity of the scheme, as well improving biodiversity, heat absorption, and contributing to a reduction in the urban heat island effect.

After four months of hard work, the clients were thrilled with the result. They were particularly pleased by the strong link now evident between the two terraces and the significant difference Hunt’s intervention made to the atmosphere of the space.

4. Two statuesque juniper trees offer dappled shade during the day

5. Subtle lighting emphasises the planting and Torc pots

About

Maïtanne Hunt Gardens & Landscapes creates gardens where clients can relax, entertain and have fun whilst benefitting from being surrounded by plants rich in scent, colour, and seasonal interest. From urban commercial or residential roof terraces to country gardens, its vision is to translate its clients’ wishes into timeless, practical and magical settings, regardless of location or size. maitannehunt.com

References

Landscape contractor

The Garden Builders gardenbuilders.co.uk

Lighting

John Cullen Lighting johncullenlighting.com

Fire bowl Solus solusdecor.co.uk

Discreet heater

Heat Outdoors heat-outdoors.co.uk

Trees

Deepdale Trees deepdale-trees.co.uk

Smits smitsbv.nl

Decking Envirobuild envirobuild.com

Are

Then

quite work for you, do not worry. You can collaborate with us and design the perfect room for your

Collaborative

TRIUMPHS

Bakers in Berkhamsted Karl Harrison Landscapes

Located a few steps north-west of the capital, this project redefined a client’s garden and opened up a plethora of lifestyle options

After spending some time in America, this client was inspired and returned home with the dream of having an endless pool in his family home in Berkhamsted. Wanting to combine the pool with an outdoor garden building, this client had big aspirations to also include an outdoor kitchen area, with a separate building to be utilised as a private classroom that would double up as a family room.

The client quickly discovered the virtues of the Grillo Vantage Outdoor Kitchen and then engaged with a local garden building company to bring their ideas for this part of the project to life. Unfortunately, the client was not confident that the wet leisure use required for an endless pool could be achieved with this

company, so garden designer Karl Harrison teamed up with Martin Baker at Bakers Garden Buildings. With a lot of the design work already mapped out early on, this was a project with collaboration at its heart, ensuring that both Bakers and Grillo had a say to ensure that the products would complement the space.

Following further meetings on site Harrison and Baker had some of the design elements amended to ensure it looked completely incorporated as one project. This included understanding the look of Grillo and adding a quartz black tile Iroko trim rear wall to the canopy, where the outdoor kitchen was sited, along with incorporating this style into the planter that Harrison had designed and even into the family room bar.

Starting on site in December 2022, it was critical that the pool pit and base were perfectly level with the family room base and ensuring that the pit was the correct depth – all had to be set at the correct heights to conform to planning yet allow Harrison’s decking base to tie into all these areas.

With four companies involved, there was plenty of space for miscommunication and unnecessary problems; however, this was perfectly executed with less than a millimetre between the two buildings making Harrison’s element much easier due to the attention to detail in the setting out and delivery.

Project details

Project value:

£250k + VAT

Build time: 10 weeks

Size of project: 508.5m2

During Build

With the basic frame all in place, all services were run to the site; this included power supply, freshwater in, and drainage to a local utility hole. With the drawings from Grillo to show where services were needed for the intended outdoor kitchen, these were installed by the team at Bakers.

As the buildings required extra height, Bakers faced the challenge of sourcing planning permission for both buildings and canopy which gave the palatial the extra height requested. Once approved, the family and private classroom measured at 7.5m wide by four metres deep and included a ‘Jack and Jill toilet,’ with access from inside and out. As well as a kitchenette area with large American style fridge freezer, a bar area doubled up as the teacher’s desk,

with an amazing table and 90” TV. This building also featured Bakers’ most popular Em-glaze roof light and utilised air source heat pumps for heating and cooling which funds some of the house’s temperature regulation systems.

The endless pool room also measured at 7.5m wide by four metres deep with an additional four-metre canopy. Inside, the endless pool was tucked in the back right corner, leaving space for some gym equipment and a changing area, whereas outside in the canopy and on top of the Millboard decking was the L-shaped Grillo kitchen. This included

the Grillo Gusto Charcoal BBQ (Kamado Style), Bull Gas Grill Station, and standalone Grillo Chef’s Anvil fire pit with cooking edge – not to mention the integrated fridge and separate wine fridge, Vantage Ice Well and Vantage Bar area with Tarn Sink. Both rooms featured aluminium inline sliding doors with UPVC colour matched

year-round use, the entire building is insulated to withstand anything the British weather can throw at it.

With a lot of the design work already mapped out early on, this was a project with collaboration at its heart

windows and Medite Tricoya Cladding, with fire rated cement board along with an EPDM roof. This specification offers the zero maintenance and a 50-year life expectancy. Finished in Anthracite (RAL 7016) the LowE anti-sun grey glass complements this and offers the most efficient double glazing possible. Built and designed for all

Although the planting areas were very small compared to the overall project, the client was focused on the outdoor living aspects of the design and sought after long life, low maintenance features. Harrison added a basic planting scheme comprised of a mixed cover of iris, ferns, Carex ‘Ice Dance’ and Pachysandra terminalis with a feature of Ilex crenata balls, pulled together with a selection of carefully placed rocks.

The green credentials from each collaborating company and the sustainability of this project is highlighted across the products used and the ethos of each company involved. Bakers remains supportive of the principal of efficient forestry management on a sustained yield basis. For each mature tree harvested for a garden room, Bakers ensures that two young trees are planted to help reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Similarly, Millboard uses renewable raw materials when layering the boards, utilising biopolymers and natural oils as opposed to petroleum-based materials.

1. Completed project showing integration of Bakers, Grillo & Millboard by Karl Harrison

2. Planter featuring lighting, Iroko, quartz split face stone with a Millboard top

3. Family room interior – the bar was set high by the internals this project had to match

4. Bakers Endless pool room showing the virtues of reflective anti-sun grey glass

5. 14x7ft endless pool in Bakers wet leisure room

References

Garden designer

Karl Harrison Landscapes karlharrison.design

Garden buildings

Bakers Garden Buildings bakersgardenbuildings.co.uk

Outdoor kitchen

Grillo Outdoor Kitchens grilloliving.com

Endless pool

Chiswell Pools chiswellpools.com

Decking

Millboard millboard.co.uk

Hard and soft landscaping Country Supplies countrysupplies.uk.com

Planting

Babylon Plants babylonplants.com

Boulders

CED Stone cedstone.co.uk

Oak frame

Chilworth Timber chilworthtimber.co.uk

Continuing the sustainable elements throughout the home, the entire property is now run by air source heat pumps for heating and cooling along with solar and batteries. The client’s intention is to run these buildings solely on renewable energy.

A great addition to the family’s property, when lit at night, the new outdoor living area presents a feeling of a high-end resort. The client was over the moon with the finished project, and is using both buildings daily, saying that “although four companies have been involved in significant elements in the project, it feels as though one company has done it all.”

This was achieved with a great collaboration and some careful planning, and every company involved is incredibly proud of the work they put in and the result it achieved.

About

Karl Harrison Landscapes provides leading garden design and landscaping for gardens, achieving this by creating an outdoor living space with purpose and identity. Sustainability is key to the approach of creating amazing outdoor spaces that are both visually appealing and designed to harmonise with the local environment. karlharrison.design

6. Integration of the Grillo kitchen with the Bakers canopy with quartz black, split face tile and Iroko trims

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