A Fantasy Garden

This is our last bank holiday weekend before the summer. With most of us still in lockdown – but a glimmer of light on the horizon – we need a touch of optimism. It’s time to start looking forward. With this in mind, we have got together with two of our favourite lifestyle bloggers to design a Fantasy Garden. The wonderful Poppy Loves and Pippa Jameson show us what their fantasy garden would look like if they had all the space in the world and no restriction on budget or style. We have had so much fun imagining ourselves reclining round the pool, dining al fresco and finally inviting round all our friends and family for a giant jamboree. Come on into the garden and be inspired…

Poppy’s Fantasy Garden

Poppy Loves took us at our word and, as well as creating a no-holds-barred fantasy garden, she has also conjured up guaranteed perfect weather. Oh, if only. Using every part of her unlimited space, Poppy’s theme is smooth and contemporary with wonderful textures and the warmth of natural teak. Her garden has areas to eat, to play, to entertain and (as every mother of young children will understand) a place to nap. Poppy says she’ll be dreaming of it for months to come. I think we all will. Check out Poppy’s Fantasy Garden…

Poppy Loves, fantasy garden mood board
Poppy’s Fantasy Garden – an oasis of calm and relaxation

Pippa’s Fantasy Garden

Pippa Jameson’s Ultimate Retreat is a glorious ocean paradise with a sunny, seaside villa. Everything has been designed to embrace the outdoors, to be comfortable, colourful and easy on the eye. Furniture is plump and softly curved in warm, earthy tones. Family and friends will be well and truly pampered with a hot tub, a firepit and – the final touch of decadence – a fabulous drinks trolley. Imagine yourself sinking into that hot tub, cocktail in hand. Check out Pippa’s Ultimate Retreat…

Pippa Jameson, fantasy garden, ultimate retreat mood board
Pippa’s Ultimate Retreat – an ocean paradise

Juliette’s Fantasy Garden

This is, in fact, a collection of must-haves from the whole Juliettes team, following the advice we gave in our Garden Trends 2020 post. We all agreed that our fantasy garden would have a contemporary theme but with plenty of natural materials and plants to keep it warm and welcoming. We start with a cool, contemporary patio with sleek, travertine tiles, similar to the paving below. While they have used sleepers to created raised beds, however, our fantasy garden would be enhanced by dramatic, architectural planting. We’re thinking of a tropical look but with plants that will survive the British seasons. Stunning tree ferns, hardy palms, bamboo, cordylines, figs and olives. As we move further from the house, there will be a subtle change to a wilder, less cultivated feel, blending into the woods at the end of the garden.

Sleek tiling combined with natural wood for a more welcoming feel
Dramatic tree ferns at Trengwainton Gardens © Produce from the Garden

The Pool House

First things first, we have to have a pool. This being the UK, however, we’ve gone for a beautiful pool house so we can use it all year round. Oversized skylights will let natural light flood in while keeping the rain off. In the summer, it will open on all sides to become an outdoor pool, opening onto a south-facing sun deck. We have chosen pool furniture not only for its sleek good looks but also for its innovative weather-resistant fabrics and, of course, its supreme comfort. We’re planning to spend a lot of time here.

fantasy garden, pool house with glass walls and sun deck
A spectacular, glass-surround pool house © Maurice Martel Architecte

A Contemporary Outdoor Kitchen

Next, we have included an outdoor kitchen alongside our entertaining patio. The stainless steel and marble will be softened by our edible forest – raised planters full of fragrant herbs, salad vegetables, peppers and chillies, all chosen so that they look and taste amazing. No outdoor kitchen would be complete without a barbecue and we have gone large to cater for all those friends we’re hoping to invite. The pizzaholics among us would also love their own pizza oven. Again, this could be big and built-in or a discreet, free-standing gas oven that’s ready to go in just a few minutes. The team favourite was by Ooni but check out this guide to 6 of the best pizza ovens for more ideas.

fantasy garden outdoor kitchen with marble tops, wine fridge, stainless steel cupboards, T.V.
Our fantasy outdoor kitchen with wine fridge © Toll Brothers

A Glamorous Entertaining Space

A Pimms party, a birthday party or simply a Haven’t-Seen-You-In-Ages get together, this is the hub of our fantasy garden. A space to relax, to entertain, to spend time with our loved ones. Ours would be an expanse of cool paving with plenty of uber-comfy, modular seating and a vast dining space. The dining table we’ve chosen extends from 2.4m to 3.6m, comfortably seating up to 12 guests. Its integrated LED lighting adds a touch of drama and glamour, well on into the night. As we’ve already mentioned, we want this space to be contemporary but still natural and airy. Sculptural planting is an essential part of our scheme, combining both glamour and greenery.

Modular Designer Outdoor Garden Seating Sofa Set
Modular Designer Outdoor Garden Corner Sofa
Modular Designer Outdoor Garden Seating Sofa Set
Modular seating gives flexible seating options for family and guests
Contemporary Designer Garden Extendable Dining Set With LED Lights
Contemporary Designer Garden Extendable Dining Set With LED Lights
Extendable elegance with LED lighting for extra glamour

Cosy Dining

When all that entertaining becomes a bit too much, we have added a secluded, more intimate dining and seating area further down the garden, beyond the pool house. A cosy summer house is nestled among olive trees, figs, climbing plants and rosemary. In front, we would have an exquisite, smaller dining table and chairs for just a few. And the final touch, sumptuous, stylish seating for two. The perfect place to escape and unwind.

Your Fantasy Garden

So, have you been inspired by our fantasy gardens? If you could have anything you wanted in your garden, what would it be? A pool, a hot tub, a children’s playground? Share your ideas and pictures with us – after lockdown we would love to showcase everyone’s projects, inspiration and ideas.

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