The owners of this semi-detached home in Strathaven had a back garden that wasn't working hard enough for them. A small concrete-slab patio sat against the house, the lawn ran right up to the back doors, and the border along the fence had become overgrown and hard to manage. There was nowhere proper to sit out, eat or entertain.

We redesigned the area directly outside the French doors to create a large, level outdoor living space, while keeping a lawn beyond for the kids to play on.

What we did

• Lifted the old slabs, turf and overgrown border, and excavated the full patio area.
• Installed a compacted sub-base and laid large-format light grey porcelain paving in an offset pattern, wrapping around the side of the house.
• Fitted a discreet drainage point within the patio so surface water clears quickly.
• Finished the edges with a decorative gravel margin, including along the house wall to keep splashback and water away from the property.
• Built timber sleeper raised beds along the fence line, filled with fresh topsoil and ready for planting.
• Added two sleeper planters at the lawn edge, framing the opening from the patio onto the grass.

The result

The garden now has a clear layout: a bright, clean patio straight off the house for furniture and dining, with the lawn and play area beyond.

The pale porcelain lifts the whole space and reflects light back towards the house. It is frost-resistant, slip-resistant and won't stain or fade, so it will look this good for years with nothing more than a wash down.

The raised sleeper beds bring back the planting in a tidy, contained way that is far easier to maintain than the old border.