Extension Garden Design, Great Chesterford, Essex
A newly built garden designed to connect seamlessly with the home
This garden design project in Great Chesterford, Essex formed part of a major renovation and extension to a family home, where the landscape design was considered alongside the wider architectural transformation from an early stage.
The original property, built in warm yellow brick, had been extended using contemporary black timber cladding. The garden design therefore needed to carefully bridge these two contrasting architectural styles, creating an outdoor space that felt cohesive, balanced and naturally connected to the house as a whole.
The Brief
The clients wanted the garden to feel calm, welcoming and well integrated with the newly extended property.
As the architecture combined both traditional and contemporary elements, it was important that the landscaping and planting palette helped soften the transition between the original house and the newer extension rather than exaggerating the contrast between them.
The project also needed to provide practical outdoor living space for everyday family life while maintaining a softer, relaxed atmosphere throughout the garden.
Alongside the hard landscaping, the planting design needed to feel natural and established, helping soften the cleaner architectural lines introduced by the extension.
The Design
The garden design was developed alongside the renovation works, allowing the landscaping and architecture to evolve together rather than feeling like separate projects.
We worked closely with JKL Construction throughout the build to ensure the garden complemented the architectural vision and connected naturally with both the original property and the new extension.
Material selection played an important role in bringing the different architectural styles together. A warm natural sandstone was chosen for the rear patio, creating a softer and more inviting outdoor living space that complements the tones of the original brickwork.
Grey clay pavers were then introduced across the front driveway and pathways, helping create continuity throughout the property while working beautifully alongside both the yellow brick and darker contemporary cladding.
The overall layout was designed to feel clean and structured while still allowing space for softer planting and a more relaxed atmosphere throughout the garden.
Planting
The existing planting within the rear garden already had a natural rhythm and sense of maturity, so the planting design focused on enhancing and strengthening what was already working well within the space.
Rather than replacing the garden entirely, the planting scheme was designed to soften the hard landscaping and create more natural transitions between the architecture and the surrounding garden.
Layered planting and softer green textures help balance the cleaner architectural lines of the extension, allowing the garden to feel more settled and connected to its surroundings.
This softer approach to planting also helps the newer elements of the project feel more established within the landscape over time.
The Outcome
By carefully balancing materials, structure and planting, the design successfully bridges the traditional character of the original property with the contemporary feel of the extension, creating an outdoor space that feels welcoming, balanced and highly usable for everyday living.
Once the plants have established themselves in to their new homes, the space will look fabulous.
“This project was about finding the right balance between the traditional character of the original house and the clean, contemporary lines of the extension. By carefully selecting materials and softening the architecture with planting, the garden feels connected to both parts of the home.”
Zoe Kilbride, Garden Designer
