Set in the historic town of Kidlington where a Saxon settlement was established as early as 1073, this characterful 18th century property incorporates a wealth of original architectural features, including an ancient sandstone wall running along one side of the garden and a stone barn and hovel along another.

Our task here was to accentuate the narratives that were already deeply embedded in the existing structures within the garden and to add a further layer of atmosphere on top of that through the use of textured surfaces, tactile materials and soft lighting.

To open up the space, we laid the garden out on a diagonal and created a flowing journey through the different sections of the garden. Stepping out from the house, the path directs you into the garden and onto the patio where a log store/counter has been used to create a dining area.

Mediterranean-style herbaceous borders surround the dining area to give you a sense of being immersed in greenery. The use of light, and its interplay with the surfaces, was an important aspect of the design. This can be seen in the use of mirrors, which also served to echo the windows on the nearby church.

We added a water feature which reflected rippled light onto the richly-textured sandstone walls. The client’s aspirations for the garden are for it to become the centre of the family’s activities and also the community’s.