Studio Pollyanna

Gentle intervention and classic materials informed the garden design direction of this very special arts and crafts property. The house features an abundance of creasing tiles and red brick, so it was inevitable that we'd use these as the basis of the material palette for the garden too. As for plants, we've had the joyous brief of plenty of colour - you can see a little glimpse of some of our picks in the last slide - which will transition to hotter vibrant colour in late summer. And what a treat to be working with such a dream team: @mitchell_evans_architecture on the architecture and @pringleandpringle on the interiors (which are just as joyously colourful.)

Beautiful limestone paving and cobbles in varying sizes were used in our Kent Barn project. We interspersed these with treadable Thyme to break up the hardscape, and edged with plenty of Erigeron which will eventually find its way into the various walls and soften it all down beautifully. Meanwhile, at the end of the formal lawn wildflower turf was used to soften the transition of formal garden to informal fields beyond.

One garden - either side of summer. The first taken in June shows the deep purples of early summer, the second in mid September demonstrates why we always plan our planting to have two seasons of summer interest - one handing the baton to the other - from bold colour to faded, painterly romance.

One of the trickiest elements of garden design isn't making it look good - it's making it useable (and look good). It's all very well having a beautiful garden, but if you can't sit in it, eat in it, use it, walk around it, INTERACT with it - what's the point? Likewise - if you have dead spaces in a garden with no discernible purpose - again - it's a lost opportunity. In this garden we brought the planting right up to the house so views from within are foreground planting followed by the spectacular landscape. Outdoor 'rooms' were added to give purpose to the space and clear uses throughout the day - from seating spots, to dining, to transition spaces and so on. Cotswolds garden 2024. Designs: @studiopollyannadesign Designed in 2021, built alongside a major house renovation 2022-2023. Planted 2023/2024.

Here's one of our latest projects, gearing up to start build very shortly. This garden was previously just a whole lot of lawn on a substantial slope, so we've terraced the garden into several usable spaces and added plenty of planting to soften it all down. The garden now has journeys which invite you around the space and even far reaching areas have a purpose. And you should see the plant palette... 💚🌱

This Cotswold house has incredible views of the rolling hills and we wanted to be sure to include plenty of seating to sit back, relax and take them in. A double sided fireplace inside the house allowed the perfect for an evening viewing spot on the terrace, which can be used year round. Roof form trees give a feeling of enclosure, without blocking those views one bit.

Soft blues, pinks and greys in the studio garden. The soil is almost entirely sand, so we chose resilient plants that will thrive in such free draining conditions. They are taking on the gorgeous muted and mellow tones of mid summer.

This water rill was designed to divide the courtyard into different rooms, and was a playful interaction with the changing levels of the courtyard. It forms the main focal point from within the house - leading the eye down the garden to the view beyond. 💧 Project: Cotswolds garden

Gorgeous covered hot tub positioned to enjoy the stunning views beyond, come rain or shine. Project: Cotswolds

Let's talk play spaces. I have three tips for you: 1) Go natural where possible. Think timber swings like this one in our lovely Kent project or woven willow tunnels. 2) Try to resist designing the whole garden around young children - trust me they grow up fast & outgrow things even faster - instead designate a space for the play equipment and plan what it will be now & in future. 3) Shield the view from the house if you can. If you're in the stage of life where you need to supervise them - then include seating so you can watch them rather than making the trampoline the focal point of the garden. And enjoy making those memories too 💚💚

Dreamy espalier at our Cotswolds project 🍏

A formal lawn close to a dining space is flanked on three sides by herbaceous borders. At the far end of the lawn a wildflower meadow blends the formal garden with the field beyond. 🌱 Beautifully planted by @greenlink_outdoor_living