With a large, exposed plot to work with, the brief for this Upper Dean garden was simple: create somewhere the clients would actually want to spend time. Hedging barriers filter the open site and bring a real sense of privacy and enclosure close to the house. Heavy clay soil shaped the planting strategy too. Beds were specially mounded with a drought resilient soil mix and planted with species suited to those tougher growing conditions, a practical solution that still delivers a lush, settled garden.