Cotswold Barn Courtyard
This design truly maximises the potential of the space, enclosed on 2.5 sides by traditional Cotswold stone buildings, and with fabulous valley views out in one direction. The courtyard slopes gently, and the levels have been carefully rationalised to create a sheltered raised terrace and pool outside the huge barn doors, from where the rest of the garden can be enjoyed. A dining and barbeque terrace overlooks the beautiful rural views, and the owners’ office opens out onto a simple gravel area edged with raised beds and planted with four flowering cherry trees.
Materials are simple but high quality: sawn sandstone flags and setts, self-binding gravel, oak sleeper bed edging. The planting combines strong structural trees and shrubs with an exuberant overlay of colourful herbaceous perennials; the garden buzzes with bees, and goldfinches flock to feed on the seedheads of Verbena bonariensis in the Winter.
Water is a key part of the scheme, with stepping stones across a dark formal pool near the barn doors, and two foaming jet fountains looking like roman candles when lit at night. Next to the dining terrace, a raised narrow stone edged channel forms part of the courtyard boundary, with a sleek arc of water pouring from a stainless steel blade at one end, shimmering gently when uplit.
Lighting is low key, subtle, but very effective. In a rural setting it is important to avoid light pollution, and low energy LED lamps are a sustainable choice. Tiny 1W LED downlights cast soft pools of warm light over the path to the house, and downlighters graze the lovely old Cotswold stone, accentuating the texture.
The garden has been beautifully constructed by a great team of contractors whose attention to detail and thoughtful approach always guarantee that my design vision is perfectly realised.