The formal lawn opened up to a magnificent Douglas Fir which we lit using 3 ground recessed Hunza uplights, forming a fantastic vista in direct view from the house.
Avenues of hedges leading to a sculpture allowed us to conceal the light fittings and by strategically placing uplights under an Oak tree, gave the illusion that the David Harber sculpture below was hard at work!
However, it was the Rill Garden that really captured my imagination. A series of meandering paths, multi-stem trees and water rills led you to a sunken seating area around a fire pit. Using light to create intimacy in a garden is an art. Too little, and it looks mean, too much looks overdone.
Whilst the colour of light is key, the choice of fixtures themselves is also essential. In this scheme, we used a series of low glare spiked uplights, to highlight the multi-stem trees. As the shape of every tree differs, it is important to position the light fittings on site to achieve the desired effect:
Preferring a more subtle approach, we decided not to incorporate light within the Rill and by leaving the water to darken with the night sky gave way to magical reflections on the surface. LED Lanterns are a stylish way of framing a seating area, creating a cosy low level of light.
Low level, spiked path lights were used to create soft pools of light, for finding your way through the sea of grasses and soft planting. This balance of up and downlight and space to let the natural landscape do the rest, is essential for creating ambience.
