Garden Design

Garden Design in Sawbridgeworth, Essex

Location: Sawbridgeworth, Essex

A large family garden reshaped into a sequence of connected outdoor rooms — designed for everyday life, quiet moments and entertaining. Split-level terraces, refined materials and immersive planting create a calm, confident journey from the house down to a woodland walk and lower lawn.

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Overview

At the heart of the scheme is a naturally filtering koi pond, paired with a bespoke outdoor kitchen positioned for easy access from the orangery. Together, these elements form a social hub — ideal for cooking, dining and gathering — while still feeling grounded in a garden setting rather than a “hardscape” terrace.

Exquisite silver porcelain paving is combined with textured Lucca clay pavers, creating rich transitions underfoot. These materials flow through the upper garden, sitting alongside planting borders built for year-round structure and seasonal movement.

Central koi pond and dramatic natural stone water feature.
Outdoor kitchen and terraces linked directly to the orangery.
Distinct upper and lower garden experiences within one cohesive layout.

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Upper garden – family life & entertaining

The upper lawn is retained with wide porcelain steps, creating a generous level space for play, outdoor dining and relaxed seating. Carefully proportioned terraces connect the house, outdoor kitchen and koi pond, so the garden reads as a natural extension of the home rather than a separate zone.

Lower garden – woodland walk & lower lawn

Beyond the main entertaining spaces, the garden transitions into a woodland-inspired experience. Bark pathways wind between established trees and layered planting, introducing a slower, more immersive journey through the landscape. A new shed provides practical storage while discreetly screening the compost area.

Woodland-inspired lower garden in Sawbridgeworth with bark paths and trees — Woodland-inspired lower garden with bark paths and layered planting.

Natural stone water feature pouring into koi pond in Sawbridgeworth garden — Natural stone water feature framed by soft, textured planting.

Lower lawn framed by planting and mature trees in family garden — Lower lawn surrounded by mature trees and relaxed seasonal borders.

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Water feature & koi pond

A striking natural stone water feature rises upright and pours into a pond before flowing into a larger koi pond below. A clay paver bridge carries you across the water and completes a dramatic, almost Jurassic-style moment — enhanced by bold stone steps and lush planting — before the journey opens onto the lower lawn for another flexible family space.

This Sawbridgeworth garden blends modern family living with natural drama, refined materials and immersive planting — a landscape that feels generous, connected and beautiful through the seasons.

Gallery

Spaces within the Sawbridgeworth garden

Views showing the koi pond, outdoor kitchen, upper terraces and woodland-inspired lower garden.

View across koi pond towards outdoor kitchen and dining terrace in Sawbridgeworth — Koi pond and outdoor kitchen forming the heart of the garden.

Silver porcelain and Lucca clay paver terrace with structural planting — Silver porcelain paving with Lucca clay pavers and structural planting.

Wide porcelain steps linking upper terraces and generous lawn in Sawbridgeworth garden — Wide porcelain steps linking upper terraces and generous lawn.

Woodland-inspired lower garden with bark paths and trees in Sawbridgeworth — Woodland-inspired lower garden with bark paths and layered planting.

Natural stone water feature pouring into koi pond in Essex family garden — Upright natural stone water feature feeding into the koi pond.

Lower lawn framed by planting and trees in Sawbridgeworth garden — Lower lawn framed by mature trees and relaxed planting.

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Like this family garden in Sawbridgeworth?

If you’re planning a new garden or redesign in Essex, we’d be delighted to explore how we can create a practical, beautiful space tailored to your family and the way you live.

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