Take A Seat, Vialii Style

At Vialii, when we design your garden we think about EVERY last detail. From the garden structure, where the sunny parts are, what plants will work best, what time you have to maintain the garden, what style you like, we think about it all. And one of the most important elements is the garden seat. We don’t just chuck in a garden bench and hope for the best. Here are some of the ways we have incorporated a seat or two into the gardens we have designed…

Our bespoke seat under our cherry tree was a perfect spot for a drink on our wedding day

Whilst a nice garden bench or a well designed table and chairs can be a real asset to a garden, sometimes that just isn’t enough. Whether it’s clever solutions where additional seating is required or a strong design statement within the garden we have some great ideas to share.

1. This bespoke seating was a combination of rendered blockwork topped with hard wood. Planting has been incorporated to soften the look and provide a lovely aroma as you relax there.

A bespoke rendered seat with hardwood finish

2. Timber seating has been built between these colourful troughs to provide additional seating to the decked area when entertaining. The benches are long enough to lounge on so throw down some comfy cushions on a sunny day for a perfect spot to lie or have a seat in the sun.

In-built seating in a colourful deck

3. A curving bench around an old tree is a perfect to maximise space and make a feature of nature’s finest offering. This meandering bench is both a wonderful focal point on the edge of the patio as well as a practical additional seat. 

Curving bench under a tree

4. Another example of bespoke timber seat being a great way to maximise space on a decked area. Perfect for entertaining.

Perfect place to relax

5. If you prefer a more traditional look you can’t get much better than this dry-stane wall which incorporates seating. Perfect for a sunny corner of the garden. A wonderful use of natural materials and keeping some amazing skills alive.

Dry stone seating area

6. Here we added some timber seating between some natural stone troughs, again adding some valuable additional seating to the dining patio. A simple but very effective solution.

Benches between natural stone troughs

7. Our last seat to show you is not one that we built but we did include it in one of our designs. In the design for Provost’s Park in Bridge of Allan, we included an ecclesiastical garden as a reminder that the site used to be the location of the old United Presbyterian Church. These pews were salvaged from one of the other churches in Bridge of Allan and are a wonderful memento of times gone by.

Old church pews given a new lease of life

So if you want to rethink how you relax in your garden this summer, why not get in touch to discuss what would work best in your own garden.

Thanks for reading,

All at Vialii

Transformers – Gardens in Disguise! Part 3

You loved Part 1 of our Before & Afters feature. And you adored Part 2 of our garden make-overs. So we are back with the third installment in our ever popular feature on our garden transformations. Below are some of our recent projects with our clients’ favourite feature – the before and after photographs!

A city retreat, Edinburgh

Before: with the old garage removed, the garden needed to be restored

Before: with the removal of the garage, the garden badly needed tackling

After: two new patios, two water features, a dry-stane seat and new planting all combined to transform this garden into a peaceful haven in the city.

After: a garden for the clients and the wildlife to enjoy

A low maintenance garden in Stirling

Before: A waterlogged garden with no focal points

Before: a waterlogged garden with no focal points

After: A dining patio, evening patio with pergola, new veg area, standing stone water feature, wildlife friendly planting and artificial grass all transformed this garden.

After: all parts of the garden were now usable

A front garden makeover, Stirling

Before: This front garden was really difficult to access and maintain

Before: poor access and difficult to maintain

After: The garden was given a make-over with a sandstone cobble path combining with a curving gravel path and lush green planting.

After: even in a small garden journeys can be created and interest added

A contemporary courtyard garden, Larbert

Before: This back garden had terrible drainage problems and was overlooked.

a waterlogged and overlooked garden

After: A new drain along with fencing, patios, a bespoke water feature and feature shrubs transformed the space.

contemporary fencing encloses this garden whilst still exposing the historic wall

If you are interested in having your own garden designed, click here to contact us for a free design consultation.

Thanks for reading.

All at Vialii

Transformers – Gardens in Disguise! Part 2

Earlier this year we blogged some “Before & After” pictures of a few of the gardens we have designed and built. Here are some more of our recent garden transformations…

A Room with a View, Brightons

Before: the garden had become overgrown and was on an awkward slope.

An overgrown, sloped garden

After: this garden was completely transformed with new lawn, planting and the addition of the fabulous garden “pod”, allowing the garden to be enjoyed in all weathers.

The tranformed garden with the amazing “pod”

A Plantsman’s Garden, Larbert

Before: the garden was water logged and lacked inspiration.

The garden had no seating areas and lacked focal points]

After: Additional slats to the fence, new paths and patio, reshaped lawn and some beautiful planting perfected this makeover.

The new garden is packed with interest

A Low Maintenance Family Garden, Bridge of Allan

Before: there was little to be kept in the existing garden except an apple tree and rhododendron.

The apple tree was one of the few things to keep

After: The existing apple tree was given a good “hair-cut” & became the key feature of the new patio in this garden. New lawn, gravel borders and structural planting all completed this transformation.

Curving lawn, a new patio and structural planting transforms this garden

A Contemporary Wildlife Garden, Bridge of Allan

Before: The wonderful view beyond was hidden in this garden by overgrown hedgerow. There was nothing to keep in the garden at all.

There was nothing to keep in the garden

A new log fence, morning patio, raised deck, lawn and veg beds were all carefully designed to complete this garden with a view.

The new deck provides a contemporary space to enjoy the lovely views

If you are interested in having your own garden designed, click here to contact us for a free design consultation.

To see more transformations click on the following:

Transformers – Gardens in Disguise! Part 1

Transformers – Gardens in Disguise! Part 3

Thanks for reading.

All at Vialii

Get To The (Focal) Point – Part 2

In our recent blog on garden focal points we told you why they are such an important feature in the gardens we design. Here are a few more examples of some of the focal points we have used in our gardens…

Oil Lantern

This oil lantern is made from corten steel which is designed to give this beautiful rusted finish. It is wonderful focal point in this garden, guiding you round the path up to the seating area in the top corner.

An oil lantern made from rusted metal is softened by planting

Classical statue

This garden has a formal layout of raised beds and lends itself to having a focal point down the central aisle. A classical white statue looks great against the clipped hedge.

A formal layout is complemented with this classical statue focal point

Dry-stone seat

This wonderful seat is a lovely feature in this city centre garden. Hand crafted from stone without the need for any mortar it is a true work of art and a lovely focal point in the garden.

A dry-stane seat creates a wonderful focal points as well as a place to rest on your journey round the garden

Garden pod

There is no missing the main focal point in this garden – the garden “pod”. The bespoke pod was crafted from timber and has a living roof. Great to look at as well as a place to shelter from the Scottish weather!

The garden “pod” is a strong feature of this garden

Feature tree

This wonderful old apple tree was the only thing to be saved from the old garden that we transformed here. It had grown a bit wild but with a careful “hair-cut” it was restored to its true glory and became a wonderful feature in the new patio.

The gnarly old apple tree was sculpted and made the focal point within the new patio in this garden

Water feature

Water features can be a wonderful addition to the garden, providing a wonderful focal point to look and listen to (and feel if you are a child having lots of fun in the garden!) This lovely water feature sits in a bespoke vintage brick patio.

A beautiful water feature set into a patio creates a wonderful focal point at the end of the curving path

Garden Globe & Canal

The “canal” is a lovely feature in this garden, providing a contemporary pond for adults and wildlife to enjoy. It leads on to the metal globe focal point which leads your eye up and to the stunning view beyond.

Here, the water feature and metal globe draw the eye up to the beautiful views beyond

If you are would like some focal points introduced into your garden please get in touch to discuss what would work well in your space and to your budget.

Thank you for reading.

All at Vialii