Built to crown a major renovation in Olney, this garden had one job: give the clients an innovative space for entertaining and relaxing through long summer days. Significant level changes between the lower and upper garden made for a genuinely challenging build, but the finished scheme delivered exactly what the clients had dreamed of. Structural rendered walls form the main framework, giving space for a generous swimming pool while leaving room to show off real craft on the blank canvas above. Land was reshaped by craned in machinery into flat lawn and raised beds set against the original local stone walls. Millboard composite decking creates a soft, resilient surface for summer evenings, complete with a dedicated pizza oven and gas barbecue, all built into an outdoor kitchen crafted over several weeks. The kitchen's tough concrete block structure carries a creme monocouche render finish, topped with an acid washed Egyptian limestone worktop cut on site and finished with a smooth, resin jointed edge, alongside bespoke oak drawers and cupboards. To complete the lifestyle brief, the team worked alongside a specialist sauna provider, supplying the concrete base and services for a Scandinavian style hot room. Dwarf fan palms line the walls around the pool, while confederate jasmine and blue passion flower are trained against the old stone. English lavender, Choisya, Salvia 'Cherry Lips' and Erigeron round out a planting scheme designed to feel established from day one. Designed by Anna French Associates, this project left two very happy clients.