Wondered how you should submit your SGD award submission? Take a look at this year's winning entries from LCGD students.

1. Project title: Contemporary Woodland Edge garden
Category: Student design - Domestic
Submission ID: 16.1155

2. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: client brief
• A garden commissioned by an architect and interior designer who recently moved to a 1960s house in
Buckinghamshire. The view of the woods to the west sold them the house. They both appreciate
midcentury architecture and have expressed a love for concrete and straight lines. They intend to keep
the property for the long-term.
• They require an entertainment space near the kitchen to seat eight for dinner and also a separate,
sheltered space to sit with a drink when they are on their own, ideally to include a heat source. They
have asked for an area suitable for playing the occasional game of Bocce, as well as a small lawn.
• The garden should include a productive element, although they do not have enough time to tend a
large veg plot, a space for a beehive (something they hope to try in the future) and a large shed for
storage.
• To the front, there should be parking for three cars and some privacy from the road for the upstairs
bedroom window.

3. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: project statement
• The design was inspired first by the area of woodland to the north-west, and second by the 1960s
architecture of the house.
• This woodland edge garden has two levels - on the upper level the garden appears to connect to the
woods beyond the boundary, the eye is drawn to the view - inspired by treehouses, the raised deck
appears to cantilever into the planting and Birch trees bring dappled shade and height into the space;
the open lawn in the lower level loosely resembles a small glade. The trees also provide screening from
the neighbouring houses.
• The materials palette is influenced by the 1960s, punctuated with concrete, tropical hardwood and
black painted steel. Naturalistic planting tempers the linearity of the hardscaping.
• Dogwood adds structure and winter interest and lush foliage is provided by native grasses and ferns;
colour is given by a range of bee-friendly plants that flower from late winter to summer. A foraging
garden has been interspersed with the woodland edge planting on the east side.

4. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: site analysis
Soil: slightly acid clay soil containing flint on a chalk bedrock
view to west, back of house
view to west, side of house
view to east, front of house

5. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: outline design plan
A
BC
C
C
D
E
F
G
G
H
H
H
I
J
K LM
N
O
R
P
Q
Q
N
Key
A concrete path flush with external access doors of house
B Iroko decks, the larger one to look as though it is cantilevered over the planting
(though supported by black painted blockwork or similar from beneath)
C concrete steps, each with shadow gap
D concrete mowing strip
E lawn
F seating area with concrete slab and black powder-coated steel wind break with
square-edged vertical bars
G stepped concrete blocks, with shadow gap
H concrete planks (300mm width, of varying lengths, running into planting at edges)
interspersed with concrete rectangles. Gaps filled with a mixture of ground cover
and self-binding gravel
I black powder-coated steel fire bowl
J Bocce court, which doubles as a path, surfaced with self-binding gravel
K car port, constructed in grey painted brick and black painted timber to match
house
L poured concrete surface for parking
M large timber shed, concealed beneath car port
N Iroko-clad wheelie bin store
0 Productive planting area
P Birch specimen trees
Q multi-stem birch specimen trees
R beehives
S Hardwood slatted fence panels
Scale of original
drawing: 1:100 at A1
S

6. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: sectional elevation showing changes of ground level beneath
path at rear of garden
XX
N
Scale of original drawing: 1:100 at A1

7. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: view to back of house, looking south

8. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: view to back of house, looking west

9. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: view of seating areas, looking east

10. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: view of Bocce court, looking west

11. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: winter view of woodland to north-west

12. Contemporary Woodland Edge garden: view to front of property