Transformations Archives - Garden Design Sussex

Planting for an Impressionist Garden

When landscaping a garden, by using plant and shrub varieties with different coloured blooms you can achieve a striking visual impact. By combining wildflowers and herbaceous perennials you can make a section of your garden resemble a beautiful painting from an impressionist master such as Claude Monet. His 1873 depiction of the Poppy Field immediately provokes images of the perfect summer scene. It is a scene which can be quite simple to replicate when landscaping your own garden. The Common Poppy It is hard to imagine this popular flower was once considered just a weed. Its vibrant red flowers are [...]

By Andrew Staib|2021-06-03T11:02:24+01:00July 2nd, 2020|Flowers, Garden Art, Transformations|Comments Off

Things to Consider When Pruning Trees

The summer months have arrived and you are finally enjoying being back out in the garden. You can see there are a number of jobs to attend with all the new growth coming through -- including the trees. Part of landscaping your garden will be pruning the trees, but before you head straight in to this job you should consider the best time of year to prune a tree. Why Prune? Pruning has a number of benefits including safety, as you will be removing damaged or diseased branches which could cause harm if they fall. Pruning also helps the shape [...]

By Andrew Staib|2021-06-03T11:23:20+01:00June 25th, 2020|Blog, Transformations, Trees|Comments Off

Tips on Creating a Wild and Natural Garden

A garden landscape does not always need to be designed with precise lines and neatly trimmed shrubs to be a beautiful haven. A wild and more natural approach to your outdoor space can be just as visually wonderful and can result in attracting more wildlife. Natural landscaping will connect you more to nature, while requiring less maintenance once established. Planting for a Natural Landscape The informal nature of wild and natural landscaping creates relaxing environments where all the elements flow in a natural manner. Evergreen shrubs offer a good foundation point regardless of the overall style when complete. These [...]

By Andrew Staib|2021-06-03T11:22:51+01:00June 15th, 2020|Articles, Blog, Plant Combinations, Transformations|Comments Off

Garden design in January- Yin and Yang

A garden can still look good in January and the leaf colour and texture of evergreens mixed with deciduous shrubs can have its own beauty. But I have been thinking that it is not just the aesthetics of January that is relevant in this month, but our whole attuned towards nature. This got me thinking about Yin and Yang. Most simply, the theory of Yin and Yang describes a world being made up not of opposite and opposing forces, but an experience in life where events and things are actually connected, [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-29T11:49:48+01:00January 2nd, 2019|Blog, Plant Combinations, Transformations|Comments Off

Before and After- Garden Design to make the most of a space

The client's brief was to transform their garden into something 'neat but abundant' that would also be football and trampoline friendly (which we sunk into the ground to minimalist its impact on the eye). We moved the patio to the back of the garden into a lovely sun trap. Even though the design is relatively contemporary with Indian sandstone, metal Corten steel edging and pleached Hornbeam we used second hand Victorian garden tiles along the west edge to give a hint of the origin of the house as well as introducing curves to balance the geometric nature of the rest [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-30T12:33:00+01:00July 10th, 2018|Blog, Geometric Shapes, Topiary, Transformations|Comments Off

Contemporary Design of Garden Patio in Brighton

My clients wanted to make their garden feel more accessible from the kitchen having put in beautiful floor to ceiling sliding doors. The first thing I did was to choose a porcelain tile with a weathered oak affect. I decided on a slightly larger tile to create both a seamless effect as well as indicating it was a change to an outdoor space. We also raised the level of the patio so now my clients can walk straight out into the outdoors without stepping down. It is surprising what a difference this makes. We clad the raised planters with [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-30T12:49:43+01:00June 24th, 2018|Blog, Geometric Shapes, Transformations|Comments Off

Transformation- Before and After the Garden Design in Brighton

June is a productive month to revisit gardens that we have designed and built, especially when the work was done in Winter or early Spring. During that time plants arrivde and once planted the perennials could only be noticed by a few small sticks. It takes all my efforts to assure clients that there is more to come! In this garden the overriding design theme was tranquility. We choose woodland plants to suit the large Cedar in the back garden. At the back the clients wanted a more open prairie feel so we used Sesleria autumnal and because the soil was [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-30T13:30:47+01:00June 15th, 2018|Blog, Dry Shade Loving Perennials, Flowers, Plant Combinations, Small Gardens, Statues, Transformations|Comments Off

Front Garden Design

The whole front garden was just shingle onto of old brick and concrete. The worse the garden the better for me as the transformation is that much more delightful.My clients wanted a front garden design that would compliment and enhance the front of their newly renovated house. They still wanted an area to drive into the property to park and they wanted the bed to be very low maintenance.I separated the drive area from the garden with a mixed evergreen hedge and a bespoke black metal arch to match the curve of the arch over the doorway and the metal trim [...]

By Andrew Staib|2019-03-28T18:48:19+00:00June 7th, 2018|Blog, Front Gardens, Pots, Small Feature Trees, Transformations|Comments Off

Garden design- what you can do in a small space

After removing 60 tonnes of soil and clay down 15 steep steps we put this Hot Tub to bed! By using curved paths and varying the stone we used with a thinner Dutch brick we were able to make a dramatic difference to this back garden. The plants will come out soon and when you are in the Hot Tub the plants will form a subtle cocoon around your head. For height we went for a Weeping Birch, Weeping Cherry, Malus Red Sentinel and Sorbus Pink Pagoda. Even in small gardens it is important to be bold with planting [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-30T13:10:10+01:00February 15th, 2018|Blog, Transformations|Comments Off

Garden Design- Japanese style woodland in Hove

We balanced the bright white paths with large limestone rocks, and lush woodland planting like Blechnum spicant, Hellebores, Epimedium and some Armeria maritima. The two green wrapped columns are Australian tree ferns which we are ready to disrobe as soon as the weather improves. In the far back of the garden we have planted Sesleria and Dog daisies to soften the picture and provide a backdrop of movement when the breeze picks up. Japanese acres are dotted about and will blaze with their spring and Autumn colour and give some height under the canopy of this magnificent Cedar tree. [...]

By Andrew Staib|2020-06-30T13:01:56+01:00February 6th, 2018|Blog, Flowers, Plant Combinations, Small Gardens, Transformations|Comments Off