New build garden

A Family Garden Designed for Growth, Beauty, and Everyday Living

Set on the edge of the popular Wealden village of Hawkhurst, this garden began as a true blank canvas. The house itself—formerly the showhome for the development—had already earned two Evening Standard New Homes Awards in 2021: Best Out of London Home and Best Family Home. Yet despite the architectural accolades, the outdoor space had been left largely untouched.

What greeted us was a square plot of compacted Wealden clay, poor drainage, and little structure. But it also offered something special: sweeping views across farmland to the north, and a double-aspect family room framed by glass bifolds—an irresistible opportunity to bring the garden right into the heart of the home.

The house won design awards but the garden was a blank canvas
As the build within the development continued the need for privacy increased
The west side of the garden before development, alongside the house. Viewed from the kitchen and the playroom
The design masterplan – March 2023
The addition of an awning for screening provided shelter and privacy

This project became an exercise in creating a garden that could evolve with a young family: a place to pause, to play and to celebrate the colour and warmth of family life.

Work begins on the hard landscaping to the west of the house
The children’s playhouse is divided into two rooms so that each child has their own play area
The playhouse is fronted by raised beds that the children were encouraged to plant themselves
There is a sloped path to the compost complex rather than steps, to ensure that this is accessible for a wheelbarrow
Phase 1 – the hard landscaping on the west side of the house, is complete. Autumn 2023

Key Design Principles

  • A versatile family garden with room for active play that remains visible from inside the house.
  • The awning creates shade and privacy for the terrace, and the addition of vines will bring a gentle Mediterranean feel that suits this home in the Wine Garden of England.
  • Planting designed to draw you into the garden, creating a natural transition from house to landscape.
  • A framework of trees—twelve in total—to create structure, seasonal interest, and future privacy as they mature.
  • Generous borders designed for a keen gardener, with layers of colour, texture, and wildlife-friendly planting.
  • A garden that grows with the children, with adaptable play zones that won’t dominate the vista or compromise the wider design.
Phase 2 begins: Groundworks to create the terracing on the south side of the house
The terracing was carefully designed to accommodate and reinforce a sudden and steep drop to the south.
View from the south east during Phase 2