Contemporary Family Garden Brickwork & Bloom
Project Story
Warm brickwork and lavender-blue planting define this terraced family garden. Red brick retaining walls, pale stone paving, corten details and sculpted borders organise the changing levels, creating a contemporary garden that feels structured, practical and richly planted.
Project Gallery
The challenge, our solution and our approach
The Challenge
To turn a level changing, fence lined plot into a cohesive outdoor living space: clear routes up and down the garden, comfortable zones for lounging and dining, and planting that feels abundant and modern without becoming high maintenance or messy.
Our Solution
We carved the garden into a sequence of usable terraces, using red brick retaining walls to give structure and permanence, and large format pale stone paving to keep everything feeling light and spacious. Corten steel planters and edging add a warm contemporary note and crisply hold the geometry of the beds and lawn. Planting was designed to do the heavy lifting: drifts of lavender, salvias and airy perennials wrap the seating areas, while multi stem trees and sculptural evergreens bring height, privacy and year round presence. A more naturalistic meadow edge and boulder steps introduce softness and a sense of journey, so the garden feels relaxed, but still beautifully resolved.
In Detail
Our Approach
Family gardens work hardest when they feel generous and inviting without demanding constant attention. For this 500 sq metre plot in Hitchin, we used a sequence of terraces to break a sloping site into distinct, usable zones, each with a clear purpose: lounging, dining, and informal play. Red brick retaining walls anchor the structure and tie the garden to the surrounding streetscape, while large format pale stone paving keeps the hard landscaping feeling light and contemporary.
Corten steel planters and edging provide a warm, weathered counterpoint to the crisp stonework, holding the geometry of the beds and defining transitions between levels. Planting does the real work of softening the space: drifts of lavender and salvia wrap the seating areas in colour and scent, while multi stem trees and sculptural evergreens deliver year round screening and vertical interest. Natural boulder stepping stones set into erigeron and ground cover create a more naturalistic route through the lower garden, introducing a sense of journey and discovery.
We design gardens that feel resolved from the outset but continue to improve as planting matures and fills out. If you are considering a contemporary family garden project in Hitchin or the surrounding area, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can help.
The services behind this garden: Garden Construction · Garden Design · Planting Design
The Build
From groundworks to the final finishing touches.
-
Site Clearance & Groundworks
Removal of existing surfaces and overgrown planting, establishing new terrace levels with drainage infrastructure and electrical conduits for the lighting scheme.
3 weeks
-
Brickwork & Retaining Walls
Construction of red brick retaining walls and step risers to define the terraced structure. Corten steel planters fabricated and positioned to frame key transitions between zones.
4 weeks
-
Paving & Stone Steps
Installation of large format pale stone paving across the main terraces, with natural boulder stepping stones set into planted banks to create an informal route through the lower garden.
4 weeks
-
Planting & Finishing
Drifts of lavender, salvia and ornamental grasses planted throughout, with multi stem trees positioned for height and screening. Outdoor furniture placed and final detailing completed.
3 weeks
Project Details
Paving & Surfaces
- Large format pale stone paving
- Red brick retaining walls and step risers
- Natural boulder stepping stones
- Bark mulch paths
Features
- Corten steel raised planters
- Natural stone boulder steps
- Multi level terracing
- Contemporary outdoor furniture
Planting
- Lavender drifts
- Salvia and nepeta borders
- Multi stem trees
- Sculptural evergreen hedging
- Erigeron ground cover
Furniture & Living
- Corner lounge sofa set
- Outdoor dining area
- Corten steel planters with specimen planting
Begin Your Journey
Every great garden begins with a conversation. Let’s talk about yours.