You can find a whole lot of fun ready for the kids in this fun contemporary play-yard. Theme: The overall theme of the play-yard is a blend of creative and active outdoor play that blends with the contemporary styling of this beautiful home. Focus: The overall focus for the design of this amazing play-yard was to provide this family with an outdoor space that would foster an active and creative playtime for their children of various ages. The visual focus of this space is the 15-foot tree placed in the middle of the turf yard. This fantastic structure beacons the children to climb the mini stumps and enjoy the slide or swing happily from the branches all the while creating a touch of whimsical nature. Surrounding the tree the play-yard offers an array of activities for these lucky children from the chalkboard walls to create amazing pictures to the custom ball wall to practice their skills, the custom myWall system provides endless options for the kids and parents to keep the space exciting and new. Rock holds easily clip into the wall offering ever changing climbing routes, custom water toys and games can also be adapted to the wall to fit the fun of the day. Storage: The myWall system offers various storage options including shelving, closed cases or hanging baskets all of which can be moved to alternate locations on the wall as the homeowners want to customize the play-yard. Growth: The myWall system is built to grow with the users whether it is with changing taste, updating design or growing children, all the accessories can be moved or replaced while leaving the main frame in place. The materials used throughout the space were chosen for their durability and ability to withstand the harsh conditions for many years. The tree also includes 3 levels of swings offering children of varied ages the chance to swing from the branches. Safety: Safety is of critical concern with any play-yard and a space in the harsh hot summers presented specific concerns which were addressed with light colored materials to reflect the sun and reduce heat buildup and stainless steel hardware was used to avoid rusting. The myWall accessories all use a locking mechanism which allows for easy adjustments but also securely locks the pieces into place once set. The flooring in the treehouse was also textured to eliminate skidding.

1,000' front lawn converted to meadow beds in suburban development.
This is an example of a drought-tolerant and full sun front yard landscaping for winter.

Living Rooms by IndoTeak Design IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

Staircases by IndoTeak Design IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

Kitchens, Stunning & Functional, by IndoTeak Design IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

The Home Nestled in Jackson Ranch, Thurston House welcomes you to experience the solace and comfort of this warm and peaceful home. As you step past the barnwood accented exterior, you enter a refined rustic interior with a barnwood wall and century-old beams gracing the great room. Durable, luxury, vinyl, tile flooring leads you further in, past a front office with ample sunlight. Relax as you gaze upon the Front Range, through the pines, from the great room - while a wood-burning fire crackles nearby. Continue into the spacious kitchen, complete with custom cabinets and more amazing views. An expansive walk-in pantry gives way to an oversized garage, a builder and hobbyist’s dream space. Steps away from the kitchen, the master bedroom envelops you, providing those awe-inspiring views, while balancing privacy in the pines. Whether you seek to entertain or to escape, the downstairs of Thurston House delivers. The stairs open to a lounge, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and abundant screen space, while a wet bar is tucked away for close conversation. Additional bedrooms offer comfort and privacy for overnight guests. A home gym leads to the privacy of your backyard among the pines, with mountain views to motivate you. The Builder Custom Design Builders (CDB) provides a relational partnership aimed at building the home that exists in your mind. Founder and president, Ben Woody, draws on the practical creativity of his nearly 30 years of construction experience, along with the safety consciousness he acquired as a firefighter. Ben is skillful at building according to your desires, incorporating a thoughtful design that balances safety and functionality in a dynamic process. CDB relies on the expertise acquired from years of building partnerships with the most reliable tradesmen in the area. Our team of partners consistently delivers the highest quality products and services, which has helped drive our exponential growth via word-of-mouth referrals. As a family-owned and operated business, CDB understands relationships. Engaging in a partnership with CDB is to take on an active role in designing and defining your project, while relying on the comfort and security that can only come from decades of experience. The Interior Design Thurston House brings a feeling of warmth, comfort and hospitality. Modern accents elevate your living experience by highlighting the character of century-old, hand-hewn beams and barnwood. A luxurious freestanding bathtub and Euro-style shower in the master bathroom encourage you to relax and recharge in your own spa-like retreat. Energy efficient HVAC and water systems, appliances and windows minimize your footprint. Durable flooring offers stability and longevity, and hand trowel-finished drywall with reclaimed wood accents provide a warm background for your life. The open floor plan lends itself to entertaining, and the views of the Front Range through the pines are enticing. These same spaces also feel private and individual. Whether training in the home gym for your next marathon, building your dream canoe in the garage, or relaxing while you listen to the crackle of a fire in your fireplace accented by those hand-hewn beams, Thurston House is a stunning place to call home.

Oasis in the Desert You can find a whole lot of fun ready for the kids in this fun contemporary play-yard in the dessert. Theme: The overall theme of the play-yard is a blend of creative and active outdoor play that blends with the contemporary styling of this beautiful home. Focus: The overall focus for the design of this amazing play-yard was to provide this family with an outdoor space that would foster an active and creative playtime for their children of various ages. The visual focus of this space is the 15-foot tree placed in the middle of the turf yard. This fantastic structure beacons the children to climb the mini stumps and enjoy the slide or swing happily from the branches all the while creating a touch of whimsical nature not typically found in the desert. Surrounding the tree the play-yard offers an array of activities for these lucky children from the chalkboard walls to create amazing pictures to the custom ball wall to practice their skills, the custom myWall system provides endless options for the kids and parents to keep the space exciting and new. Rock holds easily clip into the wall offering ever changing climbing routes, custom water toys and games can also be adapted to the wall to fit the fun of the day. Storage: The myWall system offers various storage options including shelving, closed cases or hanging baskets all of which can be moved to alternate locations on the wall as the homeowners want to customize the play-yard. Growth: The myWall system is built to grow with the users whether it is with changing taste, updating design or growing children, all the accessories can be moved or replaced while leaving the main frame in place. The materials used throughout the space were chosen for their durability and ability to withstand the harsh conditions for many years. The tree also includes 3 levels of swings offering children of varied ages the chance to swing from the branches. Safety: Safety is of critical concern with any play-yard and a space in the harsh conditions of the desert presented specific concerns which were addressed with light colored materials to reflect the sun and reduce heat buildup and stainless steel hardware was used to avoid rusting. The myWall accessories all use a locking mechanism which allows for easy adjustments but also securely locks the pieces into place once set. The flooring in the treehouse was also textured to eliminate skidding.

The Home Nestled in Jackson Ranch, Thurston House welcomes you to experience the solace and comfort of this warm and peaceful home. As you step past the barnwood accented exterior, you enter a refined rustic interior with a barnwood wall and century-old beams gracing the great room. Durable, luxury, vinyl, tile flooring leads you further in, past a front office with ample sunlight. Relax as you gaze upon the Front Range, through the pines, from the great room - while a wood-burning fire crackles nearby. Continue into the spacious kitchen, complete with custom cabinets and more amazing views. An expansive walk-in pantry gives way to an oversized garage, a builder and hobbyist’s dream space. Steps away from the kitchen, the master bedroom envelops you, providing those awe-inspiring views, while balancing privacy in the pines. Whether you seek to entertain or to escape, the downstairs of Thurston House delivers. The stairs open to a lounge, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and abundant screen space, while a wet bar is tucked away for close conversation. Additional bedrooms offer comfort and privacy for overnight guests. A home gym leads to the privacy of your backyard among the pines, with mountain views to motivate you. The Builder Custom Design Builders (CDB) provides a relational partnership aimed at building the home that exists in your mind. Founder and president, Ben Woody, draws on the practical creativity of his nearly 30 years of construction experience, along with the safety consciousness he acquired as a firefighter. Ben is skillful at building according to your desires, incorporating a thoughtful design that balances safety and functionality in a dynamic process. CDB relies on the expertise acquired from years of building partnerships with the most reliable tradesmen in the area. Our team of partners consistently delivers the highest quality products and services, which has helped drive our exponential growth via word-of-mouth referrals. As a family-owned and operated business, CDB understands relationships. Engaging in a partnership with CDB is to take on an active role in designing and defining your project, while relying on the comfort and security that can only come from decades of experience. The Interior Design Thurston House brings a feeling of warmth, comfort and hospitality. Modern accents elevate your living experience by highlighting the character of century-old, hand-hewn beams and barnwood. A luxurious freestanding bathtub and Euro-style shower in the master bathroom encourage you to relax and recharge in your own spa-like retreat. Energy efficient HVAC and water systems, appliances and windows minimize your footprint. Durable flooring offers stability and longevity, and hand trowel-finished drywall with reclaimed wood accents provide a warm background for your life. The open floor plan lends itself to entertaining, and the views of the Front Range through the pines are enticing. These same spaces also feel private and individual. Whether training in the home gym for your next marathon, building your dream canoe in the garage, or relaxing while you listen to the crackle of a fire in your fireplace accented by those hand-hewn beams, Thurston House is a stunning place to call home.

Kitchens, Stunning & Functional, by IndoTeak Design IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

IndoTeak Design manufactures and distributes the greenest and most beautiful FSC Certified 100% Teak floors, tiles, and furniture designs in the world. Reclaimed and hand-crafted from vintage buildings slated for demolition or damaged by nature throughout Indonesia, IndoTeak salvages precious old growth teak beams and panels, giving them new life. Using every part of this precious wood, IndoTeak Design believes and practices ZERO waste at it's factory. By developing Aged Teak resources into sustainable building materials, we offer VOC-free, Formaldehyde-free products with a rich environmental story and ornate history which simultaneously contribute to a projects' LEED certification. Vertically integrated, IndoTeak Design can fill orders from under 1,000 sq ft to 50,000 sq ft plus. Watch for our furniture line launching soon.

The Home Nestled in Jackson Ranch, Thurston House welcomes you to experience the solace and comfort of this warm and peaceful home. As you step past the barnwood accented exterior, you enter a refined rustic interior with a barnwood wall and century-old beams gracing the great room. Durable, luxury, vinyl, tile flooring leads you further in, past a front office with ample sunlight. Relax as you gaze upon the Front Range, through the pines, from the great room - while a wood-burning fire crackles nearby. Continue into the spacious kitchen, complete with custom cabinets and more amazing views. An expansive walk-in pantry gives way to an oversized garage, a builder and hobbyist’s dream space. Steps away from the kitchen, the master bedroom envelops you, providing those awe-inspiring views, while balancing privacy in the pines. Whether you seek to entertain or to escape, the downstairs of Thurston House delivers. The stairs open to a lounge, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and abundant screen space, while a wet bar is tucked away for close conversation. Additional bedrooms offer comfort and privacy for overnight guests. A home gym leads to the privacy of your backyard among the pines, with mountain views to motivate you. The Builder Custom Design Builders (CDB) provides a relational partnership aimed at building the home that exists in your mind. Founder and president, Ben Woody, draws on the practical creativity of his nearly 30 years of construction experience, along with the safety consciousness he acquired as a firefighter. Ben is skillful at building according to your desires, incorporating a thoughtful design that balances safety and functionality in a dynamic process. CDB relies on the expertise acquired from years of building partnerships with the most reliable tradesmen in the area. Our team of partners consistently delivers the highest quality products and services, which has helped drive our exponential growth via word-of-mouth referrals. As a family-owned and operated business, CDB understands relationships. Engaging in a partnership with CDB is to take on an active role in designing and defining your project, while relying on the comfort and security that can only come from decades of experience. The Interior Design Thurston House brings a feeling of warmth, comfort and hospitality. Modern accents elevate your living experience by highlighting the character of century-old, hand-hewn beams and barnwood. A luxurious freestanding bathtub and Euro-style shower in the master bathroom encourage you to relax and recharge in your own spa-like retreat. Energy efficient HVAC and water systems, appliances and windows minimize your footprint. Durable flooring offers stability and longevity, and hand trowel-finished drywall with reclaimed wood accents provide a warm background for your life. The open floor plan lends itself to entertaining, and the views of the Front Range through the pines are enticing. These same spaces also feel private and individual. Whether training in the home gym for your next marathon, building your dream canoe in the garage, or relaxing while you listen to the crackle of a fire in your fireplace accented by those hand-hewn beams, Thurston House is a stunning place to call home.

The Home Nestled in Jackson Ranch, Thurston House welcomes you to experience the solace and comfort of this warm and peaceful home. As you step past the barnwood accented exterior, you enter a refined rustic interior with a barnwood wall and century-old beams gracing the great room. Durable, luxury, vinyl, tile flooring leads you further in, past a front office with ample sunlight. Relax as you gaze upon the Front Range, through the pines, from the great room - while a wood-burning fire crackles nearby. Continue into the spacious kitchen, complete with custom cabinets and more amazing views. An expansive walk-in pantry gives way to an oversized garage, a builder and hobbyist’s dream space. Steps away from the kitchen, the master bedroom envelops you, providing those awe-inspiring views, while balancing privacy in the pines. Whether you seek to entertain or to escape, the downstairs of Thurston House delivers. The stairs open to a lounge, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and abundant screen space, while a wet bar is tucked away for close conversation. Additional bedrooms offer comfort and privacy for overnight guests. A home gym leads to the privacy of your backyard among the pines, with mountain views to motivate you. The Builder Custom Design Builders (CDB) provides a relational partnership aimed at building the home that exists in your mind. Founder and president, Ben Woody, draws on the practical creativity of his nearly 30 years of construction experience, along with the safety consciousness he acquired as a firefighter. Ben is skillful at building according to your desires, incorporating a thoughtful design that balances safety and functionality in a dynamic process. CDB relies on the expertise acquired from years of building partnerships with the most reliable tradesmen in the area. Our team of partners consistently delivers the highest quality products and services, which has helped drive our exponential growth via word-of-mouth referrals. As a family-owned and operated business, CDB understands relationships. Engaging in a partnership with CDB is to take on an active role in designing and defining your project, while relying on the comfort and security that can only come from decades of experience. The Interior Design Thurston House brings a feeling of warmth, comfort and hospitality. Modern accents elevate your living experience by highlighting the character of century-old, hand-hewn beams and barnwood. A luxurious freestanding bathtub and Euro-style shower in the master bathroom encourage you to relax and recharge in your own spa-like retreat. Energy efficient HVAC and water systems, appliances and windows minimize your footprint. Durable flooring offers stability and longevity, and hand trowel-finished drywall with reclaimed wood accents provide a warm background for your life. The open floor plan lends itself to entertaining, and the views of the Front Range through the pines are enticing. These same spaces also feel private and individual. Whether training in the home gym for your next marathon, building your dream canoe in the garage, or relaxing while you listen to the crackle of a fire in your fireplace accented by those hand-hewn beams, Thurston House is a stunning place to call home.

For this driveway entrance project, our team revitalized the front bed by rebuilding a low stacked-stone retaining wall and completely redesigning the surrounding landscape. We carefully prepped and graded the planting bed with fresh, nutrient-rich soil and a protective layer of pine straw mulch to promote healthy root growth. To complement the existing stone pillar and wooded backdrop, we selected and installed a curated mix of ornamental shrubs, perennials, and evergreens, creating a clean, welcoming accent for the home’s main approach. To safeguard the investment against local wildlife, we customized the build by incorporating discreet deer netting suspended on durable green posts directly around the bed—a specific solution requested by the homeowner. This functional barrier protects young plants while they establish without detracting from the overall curb appeal. At Pine Valley Turf Management, we tailor every landscape design to our clients' unique challenges, offering creative, practical wildlife deterrent options alongside high-quality hardscape and plant installation.

Initial consult: Dormant New Sod that was installed by the builder in 2016/Dead and damaged. Extremely overloaded with late cool season weeds and transitional warm season weed growth. Extracted soil for soil testing to determine what we'd be working with structure wise and best management practices going forward for the client.

This paving and planting scheme features new hard landscaping elements and a new planting scheme. Artscape was initially briefed to extend and enhance the patio in the garden of a lovely home in the village of Cookham Dean in Berkshire. Our clients wanted to increase the size of the paved area so they could use it more frequently for relaxing and dining in the sun during the day. As well as increasing its size and practicality, they wanted the terrace to look and feel more inviting. The existing site was a mixture of brick paving, which was slippery underfoot, and tired concrete crazy paving. The patio also had stone retaining walls surrounded by sloped lawns and a few poorly maintained and mismatched shrubs. Redesigned and repaved area We first created a new, larger layout with a series of wider steps closer to the house, making a more inviting and welcoming area. Our landscapers paved the area with coursed sandstone, renowned for its incredible strength and durability. The earthy tones and unique texture of the sandstone gives it a natural timeless look which blends sympathetically with the garden setting. The worn finish of the paving also makes the surface safer to walk on. The edge of the paving curves in line from the end of the house to visually link the areas. Bullnosed edges enhance looks and safety Bullnosing provides the garden step edges with a smooth, luxury appearance, which also enhance safety. Safety is an important factor to consider when renovating or building new steps and paved areas. Smooth, rounded bullnosed steps or edges means there won’t be any harshly cut, sharp edges to injure someone should they trip or fall. Our Artscape paving experts can advise on the best bespoke, professionally profiled bullnose edges to suit the needs of your garden project. Replacing sloped lawns with plants Our initial brief was to create a new planted border just around the paved area. However, after various discussions and designs, our clients decided to follow our recommendation to expand the planting, so it included the whole sloping bank. The planting design also included the addition of small trees to create vertical interest. New nature-friendly planting The planting features an easy-to-maintain mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs. This adds softness to the seating area and brings an everchanging display of flowers, foliage, textures and colours to the garden. The plants will attract more birds and butterflies to the garden, and will be beneficial for insects too. The lawn was doing very little to support a diversity of insects and birds. Replacing even a small section of lawn with perennial flowers, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, or groundcovers will benefit nature and wildlife. As well as supporting greater biodiversity, plants are more environmentally friendly than maintaining a lawn. Lawns are drought tolerant and will recover even if the grass has turned brown and patchy in a heatwave. But to keep the lawn looking lush, green, and beautiful in a hot, dry spell will require constant and wasteful watering. The planting is informal and includes grasses, taking inspiration from the fields opposite. Ornamental grasses soften the scheme and bring movement to the garden as they shimmer in the slightest of breezes. Grasses are easy to grow and require little ongoing care. The main maintenance task is to cut the planting back in spring ready for the new growth to come through. To keep the whole project within our client’s budget, we retained the existing walls, simply carrying out some small repairs and modifications where necessary. We were also able to add stunning new atmospheric lighting to the older existing lighting circuit to illuminate the area at night.

This paving and planting scheme features new hard landscaping elements and a new planting scheme. Artscape was initially briefed to extend and enhance the patio in the garden of a lovely home in the village of Cookham Dean in Berkshire. Our clients wanted to increase the size of the paved area so they could use it more frequently for relaxing and dining in the sun during the day. As well as increasing its size and practicality, they wanted the terrace to look and feel more inviting. The existing site was a mixture of brick paving, which was slippery underfoot, and tired concrete crazy paving. The patio also had stone retaining walls surrounded by sloped lawns and a few poorly maintained and mismatched shrubs. Redesigned and repaved area We first created a new, larger layout with a series of wider steps closer to the house, making a more inviting and welcoming area. Our landscapers paved the area with coursed sandstone, renowned for its incredible strength and durability. The earthy tones and unique texture of the sandstone gives it a natural timeless look which blends sympathetically with the garden setting. The worn finish of the paving also makes the surface safer to walk on. The edge of the paving curves in line from the end of the house to visually link the areas. Bullnosed edges enhance looks and safety Bullnosing provides the garden step edges with a smooth, luxury appearance, which also enhance safety. Safety is an important factor to consider when renovating or building new steps and paved areas. Smooth, rounded bullnosed steps or edges means there won’t be any harshly cut, sharp edges to injure someone should they trip or fall. Our Artscape paving experts can advise on the best bespoke, professionally profiled bullnose edges to suit the needs of your garden project. Replacing sloped lawns with plants Our initial brief was to create a new planted border just around the paved area. However, after various discussions and designs, our clients decided to follow our recommendation to expand the planting, so it included the whole sloping bank. The planting design also included the addition of small trees to create vertical interest. New nature-friendly planting The planting features an easy-to-maintain mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs. This adds softness to the seating area and brings an everchanging display of flowers, foliage, textures and colours to the garden. The plants will attract more birds and butterflies to the garden, and will be beneficial for insects too. The lawn was doing very little to support a diversity of insects and birds. Replacing even a small section of lawn with perennial flowers, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, or groundcovers will benefit nature and wildlife. As well as supporting greater biodiversity, plants are more environmentally friendly than maintaining a lawn. Lawns are drought tolerant and will recover even if the grass has turned brown and patchy in a heatwave. But to keep the lawn looking lush, green, and beautiful in a hot, dry spell will require constant and wasteful watering. The planting is informal and includes grasses, taking inspiration from the fields opposite. Ornamental grasses soften the scheme and bring movement to the garden as they shimmer in the slightest of breezes. Grasses are easy to grow and require little ongoing care. The main maintenance task is to cut the planting back in spring ready for the new growth to come through. To keep the whole project within our client’s budget, we retained the existing walls, simply carrying out some small repairs and modifications where necessary. We were also able to add stunning new atmospheric lighting to the older existing lighting circuit to illuminate the area at night.

This paving and planting scheme features new hard landscaping elements and a new planting scheme. Artscape was initially briefed to extend and enhance the patio in the garden of a lovely home in the village of Cookham Dean in Berkshire. Our clients wanted to increase the size of the paved area so they could use it more frequently for relaxing and dining in the sun during the day. As well as increasing its size and practicality, they wanted the terrace to look and feel more inviting. The existing site was a mixture of brick paving, which was slippery underfoot, and tired concrete crazy paving. The patio also had stone retaining walls surrounded by sloped lawns and a few poorly maintained and mismatched shrubs. Redesigned and repaved area We first created a new, larger layout with a series of wider steps closer to the house, making a more inviting and welcoming area. Our landscapers paved the area with coursed sandstone, renowned for its incredible strength and durability. The earthy tones and unique texture of the sandstone gives it a natural timeless look which blends sympathetically with the garden setting. The worn finish of the paving also makes the surface safer to walk on. The edge of the paving curves in line from the end of the house to visually link the areas. Bullnosed edges enhance looks and safety Bullnosing provides the garden step edges with a smooth, luxury appearance, which also enhance safety. Safety is an important factor to consider when renovating or building new steps and paved areas. Smooth, rounded bullnosed steps or edges means there won’t be any harshly cut, sharp edges to injure someone should they trip or fall. Our Artscape paving experts can advise on the best bespoke, professionally profiled bullnose edges to suit the needs of your garden project. Replacing sloped lawns with plants Our initial brief was to create a new planted border just around the paved area. However, after various discussions and designs, our clients decided to follow our recommendation to expand the planting, so it included the whole sloping bank. The planting design also included the addition of small trees to create vertical interest. New nature-friendly planting The planting features an easy-to-maintain mix of perennials, grasses, and shrubs. This adds softness to the seating area and brings an everchanging display of flowers, foliage, textures and colours to the garden. The plants will attract more birds and butterflies to the garden, and will be beneficial for insects too. The lawn was doing very little to support a diversity of insects and birds. Replacing even a small section of lawn with perennial flowers, shrubs, grasses, wildflowers, or groundcovers will benefit nature and wildlife. As well as supporting greater biodiversity, plants are more environmentally friendly than maintaining a lawn. Lawns are drought tolerant and will recover even if the grass has turned brown and patchy in a heatwave. But to keep the lawn looking lush, green, and beautiful in a hot, dry spell will require constant and wasteful watering. The planting is informal and includes grasses, taking inspiration from the fields opposite. Ornamental grasses soften the scheme and bring movement to the garden as they shimmer in the slightest of breezes. Grasses are easy to grow and require little ongoing care. The main maintenance task is to cut the planting back in spring ready for the new growth to come through. To keep the whole project within our client’s budget, we retained the existing walls, simply carrying out some small repairs and modifications where necessary. We were also able to add stunning new atmospheric lighting to the older existing lighting circuit to illuminate the area at night.