Henley on Thames sits on the river at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, and in many gardens here the ground tells you as much as the view. Soils on the chalk are often thin, stony and alkaline, and they drain quickly. Lower down, nearer the river, ground can be heavier and stay damp for longer. Planting that thrives in one garden may sulk in the next, so we start every scheme by looking closely at the soil you actually have.
Chalk is not a problem once you plant for it. Many of the most rewarding garden plants are happy in free draining, alkaline ground, and a well chosen border can look full and settled within a couple of seasons. Plants that need acid soil are a different matter, and we would rather suggest a raised bed or a large pot for a favourite camellia than watch it struggle in the open ground.
Before planting we work in plenty of organic matter, which helps thin chalky soil hold moisture through summer. A layer of mulch after planting does the same job from the top. Ground preparation is covered in more depth on our garden planting page, and our biodiversity page covers planting for pollinators and wildlife.
Few towns are as closely tied to their river as Henley, home of the Henley Royal Regatta each summer. It is natural to want some of that water in the garden, and a well placed feature can bring sound, movement and reflected light even to a small town garden well away from the bank.
For older town houses, formal shapes often suit best: a narrow rill, a raised pool with a stone coping or a simple wall fountain. In larger gardens, a natural style pond with planted margins can draw in dragonflies and birds. We plan the pump, power, overflow and access for cleaning as part of the design so the feature stays easy to live with.
Some gardens near the Thames are prone to flooding or have a high water table for part of the year. Here we favour plants that cope with wet roots, raise key seating areas where it makes sense and use surfaces that let water drain through. If your garden is close to the river, it is worth checking its flood risk on the Environment Agency website before planning major work.
Each plan is drawn for that garden alone. We measure the garden, study the soil and the way light moves across it, and talk through how you want to use the space. Paving, planting, lighting and water are then planned together, so the garden works as one piece and suits the house it belongs to.
The town centre has many listed buildings within a conservation area, and gardens behind period houses call for designers who respect that setting. Our garden designers, and the wider network we work with, choose materials and layouts that sit quietly beside older buildings. Our team has also worked on show gardens recognised at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival.
Our landscapers carry out the construction side of each project: groundworks, drainage, walls, steps, paths and terraces. Gardens on the rising ground towards the Chilterns are often sloping, and terracing with retaining walls can turn a steep plot into level, usable spaces. We build with the long term in mind, setting proper foundations and falls so surfaces stay sound. There is more on this on our landscape construction page.
Lighting lets a garden be enjoyed on long summer evenings and makes steps and paths safe in winter. We favour warm, low level light that picks out the shape of a tree, the edge of a terrace or the surface of a pool, and we keep fittings discreet in daylight. Cable routes are planned during construction. Fittings and controls are described on our outdoor lighting page.
A newly planted chalk garden needs attention in its first few years: watering through dry spells, mulching, and pruning so plants grow into the shape the design intended. We offer this as a monthly maintenance programme, each visit at least four man hours long, carried out by our own maintenance team. It covers gardens we have built and gardens built by others, and the team will look over any irrigation, lighting or water feature while on site. Our garden maintenance page gives the full picture.
Many sun loving shrubs and perennials thrive on chalk, including lavender, rosemary, salvias, scabious and clematis, along with yew and native hedging such as hawthorn and field maple. Acid loving plants like rhododendrons and camellias are best kept in raised beds or pots filled with suitable compost.
Yes. We look at how often the ground gets wet, choose plants that tolerate damp roots, use permeable surfaces and keep important features on higher ground where possible. We suggest checking your flood risk with the Environment Agency first.
It can do. Altering a boundary wall or putting up a structure in the grounds of a listed house, or in the conservation area, may need consent. South Oxfordshire District Council can advise, and it is wise to ask them early so the design allows for any conditions.
Phone 01276 582095 (or 07717 058646 on the go) or fill in the short form on our contact page. Quotes are free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
