This case study looks at a Cambridgeshire garden that was transformed from an uninspiring space into a relaxing haven.

 

 

X-scapes Ltd from Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire have completely transformed an uninspiring back garden into a private space with room for working, entertaining, relaxing and watching the wildlife. Proprietors Alex Griffin and Stuart Fisher used Turf, Meadowmat and Enviromat from Harrowden Turf Ltd as integral parts of the design.

 

cambridgeshire garden before revamp

Before work began. The garden boasted magnificent views of surrounding countryside but had few features. The existing lawn was more clover than grass and the somewhat limited planting was unimaginative and dull.

 

cambridgehire garden finished

The finished garden is wildlife friendly and includes spaces for working, entertaining and relaxing

 

The design brief for this Cambridgeshire garden

The client dreamed of an artisan garden that could fulfil several functions. He wanted it to be easy to maintain and still look beautiful all year round. The garden needed to make full use of views into the farmland beyond, whilst offering privacy and shelter. Stuart and Alex blended the client’s ideas and suggestions with their own and made the overall scheme truly individual.

 

How our customer tackled the project

Alex and Stuart specialise in creating bespoke outdoor spaces that embrace the use of natural products. In this case, their unrivalled carpentry skills have been put to good use. They have created unique features that seamlessly knit together every function of the garden. A bespoke garden office doubles as a summer house with a large deck for entertaining. The elegant building looks out upon a naturalised pond edged with wild flowers and sedums.

 

Adjacent to the deck, one of X-scapes signature seating areas shelters a firepit from the prevailing winds and provides the perfect spot for al-fresco evenings virtually all year round.

 

architectural seating in cambridgeshire garden

The seating area is a variation of the Orbis Architectural Seating range from X-scapes Ltd

 

Leading away from the garden office, paths meander between two large ponds, flower beds and lawn back to the owners’ home. Alex and Stuart have incorporated large trees into the planting scheme to produce depth, screening and privacy.

 

Enviromat pond edging

Enviromat sedum matting has been used to soften the line between path and pond

 

sedum mat used as pond edging

 

Enviromat and Meadowmat for instant maturity

“Using Enviromat and Meadowmat enabled us to speed up the development of the garden and disguise its newness” said Stuart Fisher from X-scapes. “The maturity and condition of the Meadowmat and the area it can cover with one roll is great, providing instant wild flowers without having to grow them in for the first few years. In this project, the flowers bloomed within two weeks of laying the sods.”

 

“The Enviromat around the pond was easy to work with and arrived in a healthy condition. That too produced flowers after a few days of being laid” added Alex “The only challenge with the Enviromat was finding the right tool to cut the mats into the shapes we required.”

 

wildflower turf in cambridgeshire garden

Meadowmat wildflower turf brings low maintenance natural planting to the garden

 

 

 

And as for the client? Needless to say, he is over the moon. He loves his new garden. It has exceeded his expectations and looks as though it has always been there. 10/10 for X-scapes.

 

More about X-scapes, their architctural seating and their garden design skills

 

Download our FREE guide to using Enviromat as ground cover