PARTY ready

Charlotte and Andrew have cleverly linked their home and garden with a combination of raised decking, established planting and smart styling

- ANNBROAD

Having spent a long time looking for a traditional property without success, Charlotte bought her new-build home in 2018. It was almost winter when they moved in and the garden was in a poor state - it felt unloved and in need of some fresh ideas.

After completing the interior decoration of the house, Charlotte and Andrew turned their attention to the garden. They carefully considered how they'd use the space as a family, taking into account the way the sun moved round it in order to make the most of sunshine and shade at different times of the day.

For Charlotte, interior design is a passion, and she wanted the garden to be an extension of her home. She tackled the project in several stages; preparing the ground, constructing and planting, and took about six months to complete it. We chatted to her to find out exactly how she did it...

THE GOAL

'Entertaining is a big part of our social life, so the design had to be flexible enough to cater for family dining and large gatherings of friends. But I also wanted to be able to relax on my own with a magazine. Retaining a large section of lawn was essential to keep Harvey the Labrador happy. Creating different areas and varying levels in the garden seemed the most practical solution. I also wanted to soften the view of the house at the bottom of the garden, and I wanted it to be low maintenance."