Gale Park
This pretty holiday cottage in Ambleside has a small, sloping, rocky garden wrapping around the side and rear. A lot of work had previously been done to the garden to flatten the slope and hide the rock feature. We felt that this work jarred with the flow of the surrounding landscape and thought that the best design solution would be to return the natural contours to the land. The garden had to have a seating area for 6 guests with bike storage a must. The client wanted plants to add movement and was very keen on a naturalistic feel.
The Solution
Our clients agreed to take the garden back to its natural contours and remove the planting screening the rock feature. We created planted mounds and imported more rock to carry the rock ridge into the garden. As well as gravel paths to follow the contours of the garden we created a peaceful south facing seating area under the rock ridge making the most of the views towards the Langdale’s. Herbaceous perennials along with bulbs, herbs and small shrubs immediately gave the space a natural quality with wilder areas creating walks through the garden.
The Outcome
The garden feels right in its setting now, like it’s been there for years. Guests can enjoy wandering through the garden or taking in the views of the Lake District from the top seating area. The naturalistic planting moves with the warm summer breeze, it softens the hard landscape features, with a range of heights using ornate and colourful foliage. The garden is brought alive at night with the use of lighting that casts shadows and adds a warm glow to the detail finishes in the space.
“Lakeland Gardens landscaped my back garden and now does the monthly maintenance. Really satisfied with both. The landscaping team were a pleasure to deal with, they worked hard in challenging wet conditions. The project was finished on time and to budget.”
Jan GAmbleside
