The garden surrounds a large detached cottage outside Dumbarton on a steeply sloping site that has fantastic views across the River Clyde. The garden, which had previously been a vegetable garden surrounded by lawns, had to be low-maintenance, retain the views & blend with the distinctive character of the rest of the grounds.

These grounds had been developed by the clients over a long period and were characterised by mature shrub borders and informal lawns. The garden was fairly exposed with seaside-type conditions. The design incorporated the removal of the lawn and vegetable plots and the creation of a series of new shrub borders a heather border and new gravel paths crossing the site. This was designed to create a series of 'journeys' through the garden. Large stones salvaged from a previous raised border in the garden were re-used to provide new focal points. 

The main access was re-modelled with new flights of steps using stone slabs. & planting was largely shrubs able to withstand seaside conditions including escallonia, brachyglottis, ceanothus, viburnum and olearia. A limited number of perennials were added for extra colour and variety.

 
New garden (September '07)