Creating a Harmonious Connection Between your House and Garden:
The key to creating a harmonious connection between your house and garden is through thoughtful landscape design. Blue Iris Landscapes have over 25 years of landscaping and horticultural experience. Enabling us to offer the best advice when gardening and landscaping with your home in mind.
Many of our clients approach us when they are looking to carry out work on their house which will affect their outdoor space. This could be anything from an extension to a complete new build. No matter the works the idea is to create a seamless connection between both the indoor and outdoor space.
Planning:
We recommend our customers consider the house and gardens plans simultaneously. This is because the garden design can influence the house build and vice versa. When our designer first visits the property they will consider a number of influencing factors such as; the flow of people between the house and garden. How to frame views looking from the house into the garden. Consider any views from the garden into the surrounding landscape. Think about the privacy and security of the garden and home.
There are a number of design options that effect both your house and your garden that that that need to be addressed Such as; the building work might prevent access to the garden at a later date. We have a number of clients that wish to raise the threshold as you step outside, this creates a seamless transition from your home into your garden however when doing this you need to factor in practicalities such as damp proofing. People often make the mistake of placing furniture across the main entrance into the garden, this creates a barrier both visually and practically. By designing your garden during the building phase we are able to advise our clients on best placement for doors and windows to maximise viewpoints and the flow into and out of the garden.
We offer a 3D design service that allows you to see your garden before any works have taken place, find out more here.
Reflecting the Interior and Architecture of your Home:
One of the main objectives is to blur the lines between the interior and exterior space. The garden should be stylistically and functionally consistent with the indoors. As a result, your garden’s outfitting will have a continual flow that takes into consideration the feel of your home. The garden design needs to be sympathetic to the overall architecture of the property. In many of our designs we create a framework for your garden that reflects the proportions and layout of your house. When designing the garden we take cues from the surrounding landscape. By using repetition it softens the boundary between your garden and the wider landscape, this can make your garden feel larger and in some cases incorporates the scenery, framing them as a feature within your own garden.
Planting:
Planting mature plants helps to achieve your desired effect more quickly, however it is more expensive. Therefore we advise our clients to enjoy watching their garden transform in front of their eyes as their plants mature. In fact, actively nurturing your own plants can be hugely satisfying and is a great way to reconnect with nature. We recommend planting herbaceous plants as they become established very quickly in the right conditions. Given a suitable watering schedule, they can bed in after one season. However, shrubs and trees take longer to establish and can take several years to fully bed in. During this time, they will need additional care including staking and watering.
Timing of Landscaping Works:
At Blue Iris Landscapes we work all year round and in most weather conditions. However, the planning phase is best done in the autumn so that your are able to have the works carried out in winter ready to enjoy your garden in the spring and summer. Although we can carry out most landscaping tasks can be carried out in any weather certain elements such as brickwork and paving can not be done in very wet or frosty conditions. The planting of your garden will also vary depending on the season and your preferences. Grass can be laid at any time of the year as long as the weather is not too hot or cold, however in summer time the grass will need additional watering therefore it is best not to lay it if you’re planning a summer holiday.
Maintaining your Garden:
Finally, after carefully creating and landscaping your outdoor space, it is vital to maintain it. Therefore, you must always consider the how much maintenance your garden requires and ensure that it stays a pleasant area to spend time in for years to come, just as lovely as the first time you saw it. Blue Iris Landscapes also offer a regular garden maintenance service, that can help you keep your garden tidy all year round!
Contact Us:
If you need assistance creating a harmonious connection between your house and garden then contact us today. You can email us at info@blueirislandscapes.co.uk or contact our office on 01782396168.
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