By Richard Bloom

Published: Thursday, 18 August 2022 at 12:00 am

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In a courtyard in Aldeburgh on the Suffolk coast, garden designer Sue Townsend has combined all her experience with plants that can withstand the ferocious North Sea winds, sandy soil and salty air to create a breezy, sunken garden rich with colour and movement. The brief from her clients was straightforward – they wanted an inviting space to entertain large groups of family and friends. The original garden was “grey, dark and oppressive,” says Sue. “They were keen to do something that was more uplifting.”

 

In brief

What A sunken coastal garden with terraced beds and spacious entertaining areas. Where Suffolk. Size 173 square metres. Soil Sandy. Aspect East-facing. Special features Beautiful hard landscaping and resilient coastal planting. Designed by Sue Townsend (suetownsendgardendesign.co.uk).

 

Central to that mood is the immaculate hard landscaping (built by local contractors David Taylor Landscapes) in which beautiful paddlestone walls are topped with the pale York stone that flows through the whole space. A small, elevated terrace catches the evening sun and sits above a larger sunken dining area and a smaller seating nook with a firepit and integrated curved stone bench. “The thing I really liked about this garden is that the owners put so much emphasis on the craftsmanship,” says Sue. “It’s tactile.”

Read more about the garden below.

Steps lead up to an elevated terrace, which is perfectly placed to catch the evening sun.

 

On the lowest terrace an Urbis Lily Bowl provides a focal point from the house and creates beautiful reflections from the surrounding grasses and perennials.