NORTH NORFOLK PROJECT
This was a new development of two houses near the North Norfolk coast. Working from architects plans the gardens and sweeping driveway were designed to feel in keeping with the beautiful local flint and brick houses and reflect the individual features including curved flint walls and brick archways. The gardens needed to be practical and low maintenance, with plenty of room for parking and the planting had to provide privacy and be able to bear the brunt of the bitter north sea winds. We also wanted to capture the feel of the North Norfolk coast within the gardens so used plenty of grasses to provide movement and texture with pebble and gravel gardens to reflect the local materials.
WHAT
New Development of two houses
WHERE
North Norfolk Coast
WHEN
July 2023
THE DESIGN
Both houses needed low maintenance gardens so we made the decision to have no grass in one of the gardens and only a small area in the other garden. The long sweeping drive had to be both practical but sympathetic to the beautiful flint houses so we decided to add a resin bound drive bordered with sandstone setts. The entrance to the development was given the same curved flint walls that are detailed within the gardens and on one of the houses.
THE PLANTS
The planting was designed to give year round interest with evergreens and grasses and then with pops of spring and summer colour. We also wanted to capture the feel of the North Norfolk coast, especially along the sweeping drive so added multistemmed birches both for privacy and year round interest, and then underplanted them with grasses, hebes, persicaria and valerian. Eight months after planting the garden was beginning to look more established. The Prunus lusitanca trees planted for privacy were beginning to fill out and seemed quite happy in the windy conditions.
THE BUILD
Watching the transformation from a muddy field with a view of static caravans into this elegant development of two houses was really rewarding.
The planting team and I came onsite in November 2024 whilst the houses were being finished and the driveway specialists got to work.
