Luxury Home Front Garden

Limestone paving to luxury home entrance with colourful low maintenance planting and yellow granite sett edging

Luxury Home Front Garden

This beautiful new home in Harpenden created the opportunity for an equally stunning new resin drive, limestone paths and colourful low maintenance planting.

The paving colours of this re-designed front garden in Harpenden echo the Portland Stone features of this stunning newly built home.

Style

Contemporary Front Garden

Location

Harpenden

Features

Resin Bound Drive, Boundary Wall, Limestone Paving

Luxury New Build Home in Harpenden with new boundary wall with pier caps and granite sett granite path
Front garden for a new build home with limestone with colourful planting for sunshine and small garden tree
Resin bound drive with granite setts edging and granite sett path with limestone paving and wide step up to front door with Olive trees in pots
Limestone paving path and granite setts path with Pittosporum balls and other colourful evergreen planting
Re-designed front garden in Harpenden with granite sett path and new brick boundary wall with pier caps
Limestone paving to luxury home entrance with colourful low maintenance planting and yellow granite sett edging
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The Story Behind the Garden

This new home was re-built in the centre of Harpenden replacing a smaller property. Our clients wanted to create an equally beautiful driveway and front garden as the setting for the house.

The pale natural stone of the beautiful acid etched Beige Limestone and pier caps was designed to connect with the Portland Stone features of the house and contrast with the dramatic red brick of the house and boundary wall.

The design included a new resin bound gravel drive in natural multi-tonal colours to reflect informal loose gravel but with much easier maintenance. Greater enclosure for the property was created on the boundaries using continuous cedar slats on one side and instant impact hedging on the other side. 

A new boundary wall was created with both a driveway and pedestrian entrance, each featuring  beautiful textured yellow granite setts to enclosing resin bound gravel and limestone paving. 

A beautiful limestone and granite sett path is framed with structural evergreen planting alongside nectar colourful nectar rich planting. A beautiful Crepe Myrtle tree creates a stunning focal point for the re-designed front garden.

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Transformation Captured in Three Moments

These three steps show the transformation of a front garden from a building site, through the design stage and finally to the completed garden.

Rothamsted Avenue Harpenden Front Garden Before Re-design with scaffolding and brick debris
Before
3D visualisation of newly designed front garden with red brick house, limestone paving and evergreen low maintenance planting
3D Model
Limestone paving to luxury home entrance with colourful low maintenance planting and yellow granite sett edging
After

The challenge with this front garden in Harpenden was to ensure that the hard landscaping and planting reflected the scale and drama of the home. The space for the front garden was not large and yet the drive needed to accomodate at least two cars as well as generous paths to the house from the drive and from the smaller entrance on the footpath. Each element, drive, paths and planting were generous and well balanced which is what makes this such a well balanced garden design.

The architect for the house had created beautiful accents to the red brick using pale Portland Stone and our materials choices, using beautiful acid etched pale beige limestone and gently tumbled yellow granite setts echo the features of the house beautifully.

Designer’s Insight

Green quotation mark symbol on a transparent background.

Our front garden is a delight to the neighbourhood and it’s not unusal to find people stopping to take a look at the plants or asking us what they are! We wanted something that was beautiful and low maintenance and we certainly have that with the drive, paving and beautiful planting. We are thrilled with the result.

Jackie – Harpenden

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More Projects

Take a look at more of our beautiful Garden Design projects below or contact us to arrange your Design Visit.

Hertford Front Garden

Large resin bound drive in front garden in Hertford with bin storage, large lawn and mixed planting with granite sett edging

Hertford Front Garden

This steep driveway up to a large house originally had a narrow entrance, poorly build retaining boundary wall and limited parking and turning space. Our transformation ensured that the new drive and garden was spacious, low maintenance and also beautifully planted to provide screening from a busy road.

Part of the renovation of a large house, the front garden needed a major re-design which included new roadside boundary walls and  large resin bound drive. In addtion we widened the entrance, designed new hedging and colourful planting and used tumbled granite setts to form a driveway crossover and access paths to the rear garden.

Style

Contemporary Front Garden

Location

Hertford

Features

Resin Bound Drive, Granite Setts, Boundary Wall

Large resin bound drive in front garden in Hertford with bin storage, large lawn and mixed planting with granite sett edging
Large resin bound driveway in Hertford with red brick retaining wall and large areas of lawn and mature Cedar tree, colourful mixed planting
Large curving lawn edged with yellow tumbled granite setts, with Daltex cappuccino resin bound gravel and Pittosporum Tom Thumb balls with Nepeta and Yew hedging in the background
Resin bound drive with steep entrance and yellow tumbled granite sett highway crossover with red brick retaining walls and pier caps with adjoining planting and lawn
Tumbled yellow granite setts which form a driveway crossover onto a resin bound gravel drive with red brick retaining walls and natural stone pier caps
Naturalistic planting with Silver Birch, grasses, and evergreen and perennial layered underplanting
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The Story Behind the Garden

The re-design of this lovely Hertford front garden and driveway formed part of an extension project to the house which created the opportunity to landscape the front garden. Existing retaining walls for the garden were over 50 years old, poorly constructed and collapsing in places. A structurally engineered design was needed, one that was in keeping with the street-scene and at an appropriate scale for a large town property. The wall heights were raised and red bricks to match the house were selected, with supporting piers at intervals along the wall. The previously narrow driveway entrance was widened and a transition between highway and resin bound gravel was formed with solid textured granite setts. Part of the reason for this material choice was to ensure a good grip for vehicles accessing the drive.

The new driveway created was large enough to accomodate a number of family cars as well as attractive bin storage. Although large areas of the space were designed to accomodate car parking, two large lawned areas, extensive hedging, and diverse nectar rich planting were also part of the scheme. 

New semi mature Yew hedging around the perimeter helps to baffle both noise and dust from the nearby road, provides a habitat for birds and insects and has created a dense evergreen backdrop for the whole garden as it matures.

Tumbled yellow granite setts were also used to form a driveway perimeter and safe, grippy path for access into the house and side passages.

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Transformation Captured in Three Moments

For this new resin bound driveway, we used our excellent 3D visuals to communicate the new boundary wall and surface treatment.

Hertford driveway and boundary wall before re-design, with large manhole cover, tarmac drive and overgrown garden
Before
3D Visualisation of newly designed Hertford resin driveway with brick retaining wall, granite setts and hedging
3D Model
Tumbled yellow granite setts which form a driveway crossover onto a resin bound gravel drive with red brick retaining walls and natural stone pier caps
After

Connecting new landscapes with existing buildings is often key to successful design. In this project the strong symetery of the house, the red brick and pale render were echoed beautifully by the choice of materials. Warm multi-tonal resin bound gravel, tumbled yellow granite setts and pale pier caps created light tones to compliment the rendered front of the house. The strong red brick boundary wall topped with emerald Yew hedging reinforced the visual impact of the red brick in the house. 

It’s a beautiful design and expertly delivered and with a good balance between the ‘hard’ elements of the walls and drive with the ‘soft’ elements of the lawns, hedging and planting. Our favourite element is the granite sett crossover from the Highway, it’s practical because it provides a good grip for tyres onto tough textured granite, but its also provides a beautiful transition up to the house from the busy road.

Designer’s Insight

Green quotation mark symbol on a transparent background.

The transformation of the front garden is incredible. Everything looks incredible and we feel that we have so much space for parking now. Equally I’m very happy with the green buffer to the road provided by the hedging, new trees and planting. We’re all absolutely delighted with the end result.

Ashely – Hertford

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Let’s create something enduring in your garden

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More Projects

We have many more front garden re-design projects in our portfolio to inspire you. Or why not book a Garden Design Consultation today?

Large Country Front Garden

Jura Grey Limestone Paving curved entrance platform to front door with two circular planters with Yew spirals

Large Country Front Garden

This beautiful Jura Grey limestone entrance platform is part of a front garden re-design in Hertfordshire. A dated front garden with difficult parking was transformed into a simpler more elegant layout to match the home.

Clients for this garden wanted to replace a very dated front garden. The original layout meant that parking and turning was not easy and with the need to accomodate a larger number of cars. There was a need to simplify the driveway while also creating beautiful planting to soften the driveway with colourful, naturalistic and low maintenance planting. The wrap-around nature of the front garden also meant that a new area of garden could be created, with a firepit enclosed with bespoke timber seats. 

Style

Driveway, Entrance and Fire Pit Garden

Location

Harpenden

Features

Limestone Paving, Fire Pit, Nectar Rich Planting

Jura Grey Limestone Paving curved entrance platform to front door with two circular planters with Yew spirals
Jura Grey Limestone Paving from London Stone to create a curving entrance platform to a front door. Two circular planters with Taxus spirals.
Limestone grey entrance platform with circular dark grey planters
Stepping stones in pebble planting area to timber curved firepit seating with mediterranean planting
Timber firepit seating with curved seats around a circular cast iron fire pit set within an area of boulders and pebbles with sunny mediterranean planting
Timber slatted seating in curve around a circular cast iron fire bowl with pebbles
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The Story Behind the Garden

The original front garden to this house felt dated and did not reflect the contemporary country style of the owners. Parking access was narrow and moving cars around on the drive was difficult. There was a need to simplify both the hardscape areas as well as the planting. The narrow blocked paved drive was re-designed to create more space around the front of the property. A large curved entrance platform, beautifully crafted with Jura Grey limestone with statement bullnosed edges and space for two large circular planters.

Existing planted borders were re-designed to maintain colour and interest but to provide a more sophisticated and cohesive look alongside the new driveway and entrance.

A new ‘pocket garden’ was created to the far end of the drive. This sunny spot was enclosed with mature Portuguese Laurel heding to create privacy and a beautiful boulder and pebble garden created. In the centre, a circular cast iron fire pit provides a sociable focal point with bespoke curved timber seating on two sides.

This sunny area of the garden is a perfect spot for sunny, drought tolerant Mediterranean planting including Agapathnus, Gaura, Panicum, Sedums and Salvias, all designed to create colour and draw in beautiful butterflies and bees. 

An existing curving sandstone path was retained. Beautiful climbing plants were added to the walls of the garage to soften the brickwork with scented, evergreen foliage. 

By the house, dramatic foliage planting included Hydrangea ‘Strong Annabelle’ alongside lush evergreen planting to create low maintenance planting which will look attractive all year. By the house two striking Yew spirals in pots create a strong sense of arrival and are perfectly in scale with the large property. 

Evening lighting was a particular feature of this garden with uplighting on Pleached Trees by the entrance gates. Feature lighting on the curved step and ‘turret’ create an impressive drama in dusk and evening. Find out more about this garden by taking a look at the full project gallery below.

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Transformation Captured in Three Moments

All of the gardens that we design are rendered in 3D so that you can clearly how each area of the garden will look when completed.

High Elms Harpenden Front Garden before redesign with dated water feature, block paving and overgrown garden
Before
3D Visual of front garden re-design with new planted borders for shade, gravel drive and limestone curved entrance platform to front door
3D Model
Jura Grey Limestone Paving from London Stone to create a curving entrance platform to a front door. Two circular planters with Taxus spirals.
After

This was a very large front garden, but the space felt hard to use. By creating a larger driveway and re-designing the planted borders more space was created and different larger spaces were created for planting. With teenage daughters soon to be driving there needed to be much more space for cars to manoeuvre safely. 

New hedging was introduced alongside the large garage to seperate an area of the front garden to create a new ‘pocket garden’. This area was planted with pebble planting for low maintenance and drought tolerant Mediterranean planting. The sunny, secluded and informal atmosphere in this part of the garden created a perfect spot for a fire pit, a place to gather and socialise with family and friends.

The transformation of the garden was dramatic. Previously it felt cramped, difficult to park and planting felt un-cohesive and crowded. The re-organisation of the space and the use of stabilised gravel to provide a soft perimeter to the house created a spacious ‘country house’ feel. This was much more in keeping with the pared back sophisticated style of the house interior.

The beautifully cool grey limestone with a heavy bullnosed curving face, echoes the shape of the curved turret and the colour of the limestone is carefully matched to the pale grey of the house doors and windows.

As a counterpoint to the simplicity of the drive and entrance, rich planting by the house, and at the perimeter of the drive provides a rich pop of colour throughout the summer. The plants used also provide a rich source of nectar for pollinators.

Designer’s Insight

Green quotation mark symbol on a transparent background.

The driveway, entrance and garden has changed beyond all recognition. It’s very much more in keeping with our style and how we want to use the garden. The lighting design is beautiful and in particular the lights around the step and turret create an impressive sense of arrival at night. We’re delighted.

Ben – Harpenden

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Let’s create something enduring in your garden

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More Projects

In need of more inspiration? Take a look at some of our other garden and landscape re-design projects or contact us for a Design Consultation.

Woodside Gardens

Landscape design for large town garden in Hitchin Hertfordshire featuring a large Millboard enhanced grain composite deck in Golden Oak with outdoor dining table and chairs and corner sofa, also features a Fire Pit Company fire globe and water blade water feature. Natural wide sawn sandstone steps lead down from the house into the sunken area of garden creating a sunny contemporary garden.

Woodside Gardens

This large town garden had some interesting level changes which were ideal for creating a sunken contemporary garden. A corner flight of sawn sandstone steps manage the level change on the corner of the house and lead to a lower composite deck area for dining and relaxing. A number of semi mature screening trees were also brought into to improve the sense of quiet seclusion in the garden. The area also features a water blade feature and stunning ornamental fire globe for evening entertaining. Evening lighting brings drama to the garden with feature led step lighting. The garden was built by Custom Gardens / Garden Webb.

“We’re so thrilled with this garden, it is a complete transformation of the existing garden. We wanted a contemporary and relatively low maintenance garden so that we could spend more time outside with family and friends, particularly in the summer months and we now have a stunning garden which we can enjoy during the daytime as well as into the evening.”

The Chilterns

Landscape design for a natural swimming pool in Hitchin Hertfordshire with a large cedar diving board, a hexagonal pool house and aquatic planting set with a large densely planted mature garden

The Chilterns

This project transformed dated and neglected rear and front garden areas with the creation of a large natural swimming pool, new lawns, self binding gravel paths, expensive planting and a woodland fire pit area with boulders and planting. In the front garden new sandstone sett edging retain a gravel drive with beech hedge and newly planted borders and climbing plants. Built by Custom Gardens / Garden Webb it featured in the July edition of Living Etc.

"Judy and I met to discuss the back and front gardens which needed completely re-designing and planting. We were keen to include options for a new swimming pool, and as we love the outdoors and natural places, she suggest a natural swimming pool. It has all been beautifully designed with paths leading around the garden, stunning planting and the beautiful informal natural look that we wanted. The garden is full of wildlife and is now the perfect space for our family and our friends."

Crabtree Lane

Garden design for modern town garden in Harpenden with comfortable contemporary grey outdoor sofas and wooden table on a Millboard enhanced grain composite deck in Limed Oak with steel pergola and mature garden in the background.

Crabtree Lane

This contemporary town garden is designed for the needs of a large sociable family with a new composite deck leading from the house to a large porcelain patio and steel pergola for daytime and evening entertainment. New semi-mature trees were added to provide screening and maturity for the garden and for the children a sunken trampoline, astro-turf play area and putting green were added. Closer to the house scented climbing plants and a water blade and splash pool create a peaceful ambience. The garden was built by Custom Gardens/Garden Webb.

“The garden has been transformed from an oddly shaped and very unloved space into an incredible garden. The design reflects the style and structure of the house and is simple but highly effective. We love it.”

Bowers Way

Garden room garden design with bespoke timber garden room with bifold doors and composite deck part of the re-design of a garden with porcelain clad retaining walls, natural stone steps and a composite deck patio next to the house

Bowers Way

Harpenden, Hertfordshire The front and rear gardens were re-designed by Heartwood Garden Design and built by Armstrong Landscapes. A new composite deck was added replacing brick paving, with a new porcelain clad retaining wall with sawn sandstone copings and steps leading to an upper garden with new Garden Room and deck area and attractive lily bowl bubbling water feature. Sawn sandstone steps lead further in the upper garden to the vegetable area defined with continuous willow.

In the front garden overgrown shrubs and lawn were removed to create a warm pebble garden complete with colourful flowering plants and structural evergreens for year round interest.

“We were delighted with both Heartwood Garden Design and Armstrong Landscapes. They’re a great team working to a design that we loved from the start and both the front and back gardens are stunning.

Lister Avenue

Country garden gate in oak, made by Waterhall Joinery in Whitwell and designed by Heartwood Garden Design with a gravel path leading to the house

Lister Avenue

The owners of this beautiful home in Hitchin, Hertfordshire were finding it hard to conquer and organise their large wrap-around garden. Heartwood Garden Design created a master plan which organised driveway access from the front and the rear. New clay paver pathways, oak arches and planted borders were added to the front of the house. At the back, a new curved natural sawn sandstone patio forms an outdoor lounge area with views across the garden. Paths lead to a paver edged patio with three oak arches, creating a stunning dining area partly covered with pink Wisteria. Planted borders close to the house have created a sense of enclosure and colour close to the house, and a lily bowl water feature provides attractive sound and a source of water for wildlife. The garden also features a large bespoke outdoor kitchen, steps leading to the rear driveway which is now screened with a flowing continuous willow fence.

“We asked Heartwood Garden Design to design a beautiful garden for us as we were struggling to know where to begin. We were impressed with the direction Heartwood Garden Design took, with suggestions on how to connect our house and garden more carefully together and establish some beautiful and characterful features. We love the clay paver paths and the oak features including the new oak gate and arches feel really unique to our garden.”

Park View

Traditional garden design in Harpenden with rural style stone wall with built in curving steps leading to the upper part of the garden with lawn and plants.

Park View

Heartwood Garden Design working with Armstrong Landscapes completely transformed the front and rear gardens of this large town garden. Yellow quartz paddlestone walls replaced existing brick and timber wall and two sweeping flights to steps were added to this multi-level garden. A new astroturf lawn was added surrounded by pebble borders, limestone boulders and extensive evergreen and deciduous planting.

"What a change! Our garden was unloved, difficult to access and felt very shallow on the plot. A complete re-design of both our front and back gardens and the introduction of beautiful stone walls, sweeping steps and diverse planting has turned it into a completely difference space, and one that we love."

Dale Avenue

Design for a large country garden in Gustard Wood Wheathampstead with pebble garden wit bowl water feature and stepping stone path through pebbles part of a larger mature country garden with colourful Mediterranean planting including Agapanthus, Salvia 'Caradonna' and Thyme

Dale Avenue

This large family garden in Hertfordshire was created from a blank regular garden laid to lawn with an existing above ground swimming pool. Over a number of years colourful flowing planted borders have been added and 20 small and medium sized garden trees have been planted. Many new seating areas were created in the garden to make the most of areas of sun and shade and views of the garden. It is now beautiful, tranquil and full of birds, bees and insects.