Water Gems (Alba) - Private residence, Merchiston, Edinburgh
Designer Secret Gardens
Maintenance contractor Janet Thomas Green Leaf, The Green Garden Company
Suppliers Binny Plants, Garden Trellis Company, London Stone, Michaela Huber, Stone Man Mosaics
The clients’ house in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh was being renovated and a new extension built. The clients wanted the gardens — front, side and rear — stripped out and new gardens designed, built and planted to a high standard while building works were carried out.
The design required the construction of a sunken garden with a circular steel rill water feature, a scorched oak boardwalk leading to a stone and slate garden building, four raised rebar vegetable beds, black basalt paving and steps laid at an angle to the house with Clashach sandstone detailing, a lawn edged with Everedge, a bespoke timber log store, planting and underground staking of 20 pleached photinias, 50 mature trees and shrubs and herbaceous planting, the installation of a circular Cedagravel driveway, ducting for electrical and water supplies, preparation of bases for a shed and greenhouse and installation of bespoke trellis panels and gate.
Tests showed the soil in the garden contained a high percentage of clay so particular care was taken to address drainage underneath the sunken garden, lawns and borders.
The judges commented: "The quality of the hard landscaping around this period Edinburgh house, including difficult radial cuts and detailed motifs, is superb. The planting in the front garden is exquisite and the colour palette spot on. To the rear the large lawn area contains a beautiful sunken garden with a rill. Overall, the scheme is totally in keeping with the period of the house and is faultless as a piece of landscape construction."
Award sponsor: Makita
