The Coppice Woodland This ancient woodland situated in West Oxfordshire is also designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It relates in part to its structure of Oak standards with a Hazel understory. The woodland was predominantly used for game rearing but without ongoing management had become colder as the Hazel had become overstood and become suppressed by the Oak canopy. Nicholsons secured grant aid Read more »

The Hanging Gardens This beautiful south facing garden frustratingly also sloped west to the main Oxford Banbury Road allowing sound to ricochet up into this private garden. The design concentrated on celebrating the southerly views while creating barriers against the western traffic noise. The garden has a formal charm which supports the stunning Edwardian architecture Read more »

The House On The Edge Of The Park This is one of our favourite projects where the clients have carried out an immaculate restoration on this large village house. The garden was blessed by views over open parkland of a neighbouring listed property but challenged by the installation of a ground source heat system. The garden is now divided into a series of beautiful spaces Read more »

A Sophisticated Retreat Before Nicholsons began the design and landscaping, this garden was overlooked by new development housing and was in desperate need of upgrading and updating. The owner wanted to create an atmosphere of contemporary calm sophistication with an inward looking, almost meditative, perspective. Layers of boundary screening have been created through the use of evergreen panel trees, ornamental pear trees, and clipped yew Read more »

A Town Garden Our client on this exciting project loves structure and formality and her husband wanted lots of colour. The garden has been designed with very strong structural elements which support the most beautiful architecture of a turreted red brick old town house. This project has been particularly exciting as our client has become a passionate gardener and the garden continues to evolve under Read more »

Farmhouse Garden This beautiful property was a derelict farm yard with only the remnants of the original garden layout. Our plans allowed for the gardens to wrap around a courtyard of stunning farm buildings made into the most beautiful contemporary living space. Our client is passionate about colour in the garden and loves variety in planting. The garden has an inner courtyard, planted with exuberant Read more »

Chelsea Flower Show 2013  Following our trophy winning success in 2012, Nicholsons Garden Design built our own trade stand garden in 2013. Our theme reflected our work – simple, stylish and faintly traditional. We kept our materials simple and harmonious using galvanized metal with a T-wash finish and a modest plant pallette of greens and pale yellows and creams against strongly structured planting – the Read more »

Bespoke benches This communal area between school buildings came to Nicholsons with a multi use brief. The design needed to provide outdoor performance areas, seating for staff and pupils, easy circulation between classrooms and low maintenance robust design. We worked with the staff and pupils and arrived at a deceptively simple scheme which allows the free circulation, flexible space and focus on social relaxation that was Read more »

Lakeside venue This exciting high-profile scheme was the re-landscaping of an island on a large estate, providing a unique setting for a glass Pavilion by award-winning architect, Robin Snell. Taking cues from the wider landscape with its flint-stoned ha-ha walls, the land was sculpted to wrap around the Pavilion, creating the perfect setting for exhibiting art and entertaining guests. Designed by Jon Uglow and landscaped Read more »

Commemorative Water Fountain We were commissioned by His Grace the Duke of Marlborough to design and construct a commemorative fountain, incorporating an existing statue, in the grounds of Blenheim Palace. This water fountain is surrounded by benches and a formal yew hedge array and provides a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of the formal gardens. Read more »