Rain Garden

The client (a retiring professional) wished for more wildlife to be introduced into his suburban garden. The brief stipulated that the focal point of this should be from the conservatory to enable more interest from his reclining chair.

The design proposed a rain garden that disconnects the existing downpipes and installs instead chains to direct the rainwater into large rusted steel cisterns. These cisterns flow under the patio to steel spouts that channel the rainwater to a large rainwater pond. This pond was constructed with differing shelve depths to introduce a variety of vegetation, from marginal to floating aquatics. This rainwater cycle creates a rich acoustic environment and celebrates the falling rain.

The pre existing crazy paving patio was replaced with strong rectilinear slab. These lines were reinforced with pleached hornbeams on the perimeter of the site and straight lined paving patterns on the new driveway.

A mixed perennial bed consisting of ornamental grasses and perennials with large seed heads extends the season of interest and offers winter forage for wild bird populations.