Isobel Sclater Garden Design Portfolio

Below are some design examples. Please click on the thumbnails for larger images.

The grass circular lawn was edged with a yellow and red brick pathway allowing access through the garden no matter what the weather without getting wet or muddy. The 3 tier Indian sandstone circle was positioned at the rear of the garden to take advantage of this sunniest spot.

Evergreen and structural shrubbery is layered and intermingles to provide beautiful scents and colour as well as year round interest.

Scented jasminium, lonicera (honeysuckle) and a fast growing Clematis ‘montana’ will soon scramble up and over the fences and trellis to provide a lovely backdrop to the dining area.

Other planting consists of alliums, pennisetum, verbena, peonies and woodland plants such as hostas and ferns to provide light and interest in the shadier part of the garden.

What the client says :

“We would like to say how pleased we are with our finished garden. It encapsulates everything we had wanted in our garden and more. Isobel was great to work with and very considerate of our needs. Great care was taken to make sure there was minimal disruption to our lives while the major work was occurring. The plant maintenance schedule is brilliant and hopefully will ensure our garden flourishes! Thank you.”

Grey slate paddlestones and Caledonian pebbles were integrated and as much of the original shrubbery as possible was pruned and transplanted around the garden.

The trellis at the back of the garden gives a more defined boundary and allows a place for the early flowering clematis to climb through and lighten up this once dark area.

Purple and blue hues are the theme for the planting and include verbena, liriope muscari, alliums and lavender.

What the client says:

“We didn’t have a lot of money to spend on our garden makeover and are absolutely delighted with the results. We wanted to keep as much of the shrubbery as possible and clever re-location of many of our evergreen specimen plants incorporated with lots more flowers and colour now give a really good structured look. The garden seems so much larger and inviting now and is giving us much enjoyment this summer.”

Having moved into the old Stables Coach house, the owners were busy renovating and extending the property. They wanted to make a start on the garden so when the renovations were finished on the house, that the garden would already be maturing.

They wanted to take full advantage of the size of the plot, and allow different areas for entertaining and relaxing in all year round.

Work started at the bottom of the garden. The stream and pond were transformed into a haven for wildlife, with fish and marginal planting. The dry stone walling around the perimeter used recycled stones from the old outhouses.

The stone and cast iron gazebo provides a focal impact and a place to enjoy the garden.

The planting consists of evergreen and herbaceous borders with masses of colour and interest throughout the year.

The project continues with the renovation of a garage into a home office with a French doors leading onto the stone flagged terrace. An extension is also being built onto the house and the remainder of the garden is to be finalised once this work has completed.

The client wanted to transform their bare roof terrace into a space with minimal upkeep and maximum impact. They wanted a portable design that they could take with them should they decide to move. Planting consists of large terrazzo planters with structural agave americanas, a large trachycarpus fortunei palm tree, combined with soft phyllostachys bamboo planting. A small decking area for sunbathing and a stunning contemporary white concrete bench and seating were sourced to provide an area to relax for drinks.

What the client says:

“I thought I’d drop you a note to say how delighted we are with the project you recently undertook in Kingston. Right from the planning stages, you were able to interpret our, sometimes erratic, thoughts and wants into a realistic proposal. I have to say that what we started off thinking about we certainly didn’t end up with. What we got was much, much better.

We now have an area (a sanctuary) that is the focal point for entertaining in our home. What a transformation, and all within budget. I have sent you some pictures separately to show you that we’re still looking after all the plants. Your “plant guide” has proved an invaluable aid to achieving this. It is simple to understand and informative – essential for the low maintenance garden we wanted.

I would have no hesitation in recommending your services.”

Richard Parke-Davies, Kingston, Surrey

The client brief for the garden was to create something modern and fairly low maintenance that fits well with the style of house, a new build. They wanted a big and bold statement to include lots of different textures and surfaces which play with the senses. They also wanted to ensure the garden had a dedicated play area which was adaptable for the future.

The circular/radial shape of the design creates clean and soft lines and accentuates the width of the garden, increasing the visually perceived space.

Planting is strong and structural throughout. The large fan shaped leaves of the palms, the jungle like banana plants, the famous black caned bamboos and the various grasses all add a bizarre and tropical element to the planting. The bold mauve and purple shrubbery contrasting perfectly against the backdrop. Scented planting includes jasmines climbers and lavendula and sarcocca sweet box.

What the client says:

“Isobel worked well with us to establish what our family needs were and how we wished to use the garden. At all stages during the process Isobel listened to what we needed - including at times listening to how we might want to alter something we had previously agreed - to ensure that the detailed plans reflected our ideas and needs. The plans were incredibly professional and we also used her accurate and knowledgeable planting plan to then bring it all to life. I would highly recommend Isobel due to her thorough and professional manner throughout the time we dealt with her"

Claire & Tom Webber, Chippenham