The Grand Appeal Garden

The Grand Appeal Garden is a place for childlike exploration and adventure. A cabin nestled in woodland-inspired planting is an escape from the world for the whole family, bringing a sense of wild nature to this corner of a rural Somerset garden.

Established paths are coupled with clearings running through the planting, encouraging people to travel off the beaten path and see what they discover. Minimal hard landscaping has been used in the garden, guiding visitors’ attention towards the shade-loving planting, with ferns and soft blue and white flowers creating a lush and calming space.

At a glance:

Who is this garden for? 
A family.
Where is the garden set?  
Rural Somerset​.
Who or what is the design inspiration?
The Grand Appeal charity provides places for families to stay when their child is in hospital. It's this idea of giving families the chance to play, explore and be together that inspires the design of the garden.

The garden is dedicated to The Grand Appeal – the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children’s charity. The designer, who also works as a consultant at the hospital, hopes that the garden can help support this invaluable charity as it continues to support children with serious illnesses and their families.

Key sustainability points:

• Self binding gravel will allow water drainage. The oak sett path to the front of the garden is made from wood from sustainably managed forests and has sand pointing, again allowing water drainage
• Materials will be reused for future garden design projects
• The garden promotes the extensive use of trees and planting, with these prioritised over hard landscaped or lawn areas