Our final garden is our largest in plot size, close to the average UK garden size, and illustrates how you can use a shaded, sloping site to maximise entertaining space and follow the sun around during the day.

This garden is dominated by its hard landscaping, and we’ve mixed a variety of materials here to good effect by choosing them all from a similar colour palette.  The porcelain paving is probably the dominant feature, providing clean lines and a beautiful contrast to some of the more rustic elements.  The cobbles look like they are made of the same stone as our larger rockery boulders, while the stepping stones pick up both patio areas.  To get over the challenge of using slate chippings on a sloped path, we have used wood-effect, concrete sleepers at regular intervals to provide a non-slip surface.

The two different seating areas in this garden offer different options at different times during the day.  Choose either shade or sunshine as the sun moves around you.  Both also demonstrate different awning systems, one electrically operated, one on a manual pulley system.

There are, of course, plants in this garden and we have focused on foliage rather than flowers here more than in any of our other show gardens.  The ferns planted amongst the rocks help to soften the look and work well in shadier spots.  The stone circle easily becomes a ‘plant theatre’ so you could move pots and plants around with each season if you wish.

If you want a stylish garden that will look this good all year round, and offers plenty of entertaining space, take inspiration from this garden.