Nicola Lesbirel gardens and landscapes take their inspiration from the site and its surroundings. Whether it is in an urban or rural position, an understanding of the site will ensure that the design is in harmony with the setting.
Chelsea Flower Show
Client: Conran and Laurent Perrier
To create a simple, modern and elegant garden inspired by the modernist movement in its architecture and planting.
A smart urban garden
Client: Dan Pearson Studio
A Smart Urban Garden The lower terrace provides an indoor/outdoor space in the summer and is defined with a large bench, providing casual seating and good storage. The upper gravel terrace is for lounging in the sun and a sculpture is reflected in the canal. The terraced planting areas are filled with a simple planting of willow and grasses for plenty of movement. Access between the levels is a series of stepped platforms that also provide a good perching spot. A sense of enclosure is provided by the low, cloud hedging on the garden boundary, over which we borrow views of the mature trees beyond.
Addison Garden
Client: Dan Pearson's Studio
The limestone kitchen floor is extended beyond the glass walls to form the terrace and the concrete BBQ and water trough echo the concrete work surface inside the kitchen. Decking throughout the main garden area provides a safe and clean space for adults and children to relax and play all year round. The large trees beyond the boundaries are 'borrowed' and dense planting inside the boundaries all serve to extend the view and increase the sense of space. The narrow side passage is planted with Bamboo creating a bright leafy tunnel into the main garden and the slatted benches extend the dining room when the sliding doors are opened up on this side.
Small Garden Design - a plant lover's paradise
Client: Gardens Illustrated
This piece has just appeared in the August issue of Gardens Illustrated.
Smallwood [work in progress]
Client: Private Client
This is a 14-acre site, which until now has been largely laid to paddock, bordered by close board fencing and poor rough woodland with some ornamental trees. The clients are building a large contemporary family house. Provision has been made to incorporate large family terraces, a swimming pool, tennis court, vegetable garden and orchard along with barns, stables, a sand school and paddocks. All boundaries have been re fenced with local post and rail and native hedgerow and woodland planting is planned for the perimeter to encourage local flora and fauna. new large woodlands are planned, one a bluebell wood, and the dried up lake to the west will be re-instated and expanded. A wildflower meadow will be seeded under the new orchard and some ornamental planting is planned for the areas around the house. A long sinuous, stone, wall separates the 'garden' from the wild land beyond and provides a sense of enclosure around the house.