Sanctuary Gardens | Garden Design and Consultation

A tranquil contemporary garden sanctuary with layered planting beds of soft grasses, white-flowering perennials, and silver-leaved shrubs surrounding a narrow reflecting pool of dark, still water. Large-format pale stone pavers form a simple path that appears to float just above the surface. Early morning, diffused natural light gently illuminates dewdrops on foliage, with subtle reflections shimmering in the pool. The composition is photographed at eye level with a slight diagonal leading line from foreground to background, creating depth and calm. Background elements dissolve into a soft bokeh of greenery. The atmosphere is serene, refined, and contemplative, captured in photographic realism with a minimalist, sophisticated aesthetic that emphasizes ecology, balance, and emotional ease.

Garden Design

Ecology Led Design

We craft ecologically grounded spaces that delight the senses and support emotional wellbeing.

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Sensory Planting Plans

We design plantings that engage smell, touch, and sight while supporting wildlife.

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Emotional Wellbeing Gardens

Our approach blends native species, soft textures, and seasonal color to nurture calm, focus, and connection with nature.

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An intimate corner of a sensory garden featuring a curved, low stone wall embracing a lush planting of aromatic herbs, feathery grasses, and velvety lamb’s ear leaves. A simple weathered wooden bench without cushions nestles into the curve, its grain and patina clearly visible. Soft late-afternoon light filters through overhead tree branches, casting dappled patterns across the bench and textured foliage. The camera is positioned at a slightly elevated angle, framing the bench on the right third and allowing the layered planting to fill the foreground. Shallow depth of field keeps the nearest leaves crisp while the background melts into a gentle blur. The mood is restful and reflective, with photographic realism and a quietly sophisticated, nature-focused atmosphere that invites unhurried contemplation.
A meticulously designed ecological planting scheme in a medium-sized city garden, showcasing interwoven drifts of native perennials, structural seed heads, and multi-stemmed small trees emerging from a mulch of fine gravel. A narrow, sinuous path of clay-colored brick threads through the planting, barely visible in places where foliage spills over. Soft overcast daylight creates even, diffused illumination, enhancing the subtle greens, warm browns, and muted purples of flowers and stems. Captured from a slightly raised perspective, the composition uses the path as a leading line, with sharp focus throughout to emphasize plant diversity and habitat structure. The atmosphere is quietly vibrant and intelligent, photographic and documentary in style, celebrating resilient, wildlife-friendly garden design with an understated, sophisticated mood.
A secluded contemplative space in a larger garden, defined by tall, billowing planting on three sides and a simple circular gravel clearing at its heart. In the center, a large, smooth, dark stone sits like a natural sculpture, its surface slightly wet and reflective as if from a light mist. Surrounding plants include soft ornamental grasses, pale blooms, and seed heads that catch the light. Early evening golden hour sun brushes the tops of the plants, creating a halo effect and gentle shadows across the gravel. Shot from a low angle at the edge of the clearing, the stone is foregrounded while the encircling planting forms a softly blurred frame. The mood is meditative and introspective, rendered in photographic realism with a clean yet organic composition that emphasizes emotional wellbeing.

Reviews

Aya Nakamura

Our garden now nurtures calm and joy every day.

Mateo García

The design respects our space and wildlife.

A refined garden consultation vignette laid out on a smooth oak table near a large window overlooking blurred greenery. Detailed, hand-drawn planting plans and elevation sketches are spread neatly, showing layered borders, specimen trees, and water features rendered in soft graphite and muted watercolor washes. Beside them rests a small collection of plant samples: sprigs of scented foliage, textured seed heads, and a single delicate flower placed on unbleached linen. Natural daylight spills across the table from the left, creating gentle highlights on the paper’s tooth and subtle shadows from the stems. Photographed from a slightly overhead angle with selective focus, the central plan is crisp while the edges softly fade. The atmosphere is thoughtful and sophisticated, combining design precision with tactile, ecological sensitivity in clean, photographic realism.

About Sanctuary Gardens

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A narrow urban courtyard transformed into a lush, restorative retreat, enclosed by high, pale plaster walls partially cloaked in climbing greenery. A simple linear rill of gently moving water runs beside a path of slim, dark stone slabs, separated by soft groundcover planting. Tall, slender ornamental trees in large, matte ceramic containers add vertical structure without crowding the space. Cool, indirect daylight filters down from above, creating a calm, evenly lit environment with subtle reflections on the water’s surface. Shot from eye level at the courtyard entrance, the composition draws the eye inward along the water and path. Background details are softly focused to suggest privacy. The mood is quietly luxurious, intimate, and restorative, captured in photographic realism with a clean, modern yet organic aesthetic.

Get in touch

We welcome consultations across North East England. Reach out to discuss your garden’s ecology, sensory potential, and wellbeing goals.

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