Two brothers asked me to help them out with a design for their 1000m2 garden in Abcoude near Amsterdam. One loves gardening and growing plants, and the other one has a background in electrics and sounds and likes to build things. With three big historic greenhouses (the real stars) on the premises, the space has great potential. It’s a wonderfully hidden place with quite a lot of tall trees and the garden feels spacious and light. Now it’s mainly used as a place to work, which gives the garden its character, but I envision it as a space for leisure too.

I first put my attention to enhancing the hidden nature aspect of the garden and creating a natural flow between the greenhouse and the outdoor space. This resulted in the development of barriers made of re-used materials and a divide between the different working zones which directed new sight lines, routes and entrances. By strategically placing elements in the new garden areas (allotment, pond, cinema, outdoor stay) the attention is now pulled towards the wider part of the garden. The contrast between the working areas and the garden is accentuated by the curved pathways and the lush naturalistic planting scheme.

I am looking forward to bringing the design to fruition but first, let the big clean out begin!