ROCHDALE
The Brief
If ever proof were needed that a small suburban garden behind a new-build home doesn’t have to be dull or uninspiring, this Rochdale project provides the perfect example.
What began as a sloping, awkwardly shaped patch of earth became an exciting opportunity to create something truly characterful.
The clients—keen gardeners with a love of vibrant, immersive planting—shared with us a picture they had purchased of the tropical garden greenhouse at Kew Gardens. This image became the spark for the entire design, guiding us towards a bold, layered and atmospheric approach despite the site’s size.
The Design
The challenge was to introduce depth, movement and discovery within a very compact footprint. To achieve this, we incorporated clever level changes and raised rendered planters, allowing the garden to unfold gradually and feel larger than it is. Paths running across the space help draw the eye through the garden, creating a stronger sense of journey and structure.
To add definition and subtle screening, we designed metal climbing frames to segment the garden without closing it off. These features help mark transitions between spaces and provide architectural height for climbing plants to thrive. A steel-frame gate with inset timber slats was introduced to enhance privacy, but it also adds intrigue and invites curiosity about what lies beyond while contributing a clean, contemporary edge.
Finally, lime green pots punctuate the scheme, offering pops of colour that elevate the planting palette and reinforce the Kew-inspired vibrancy.
The Garden
Despite its high-altitude location in the North West of the UK (a region that's not typically associated with tropical exuberance) the planting scheme was intentionally bold, diverse and far from conventional. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how this once-modest suburban patch has become a rich, inviting sanctuary that's bursting with texture, colour and life.
Your small garden has massive potential! If you want to turn it into something extraordinary, get in touch today.