![\"Pullen](\"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Pullen-Garden-3.jpg\")
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Having grown up near Bushey Heath in Hertfordshire, and keen to stay close to friends and family, Amanda Pullen and her husband Cliff found their dream home there back in 2014. A detached property with plenty of room, it was actually the garden that sold it to them. \u2018The outdoor space was a good size,\u2019 Amanda explains, \u2018and although it looked a bit tired, with an overgrown orchard and lots of uneven crazy paving, we could see the potential.\u2019<\/p>\n
The couple set about modernising and extending their home over the coming years, but when it came to the garden, it was Cliff who took over the design. After spending his childhood in Australia and with a degree in landscape architecture, he had plenty of inspiration as to what they could achieve. \u2018Years of travelling and my training helped with the basics,\u2019 he recalls. \u2018I wanted a modern outdoor space that would reflect the way in which we\u2019ve modernised the interior of the house. Plus, I wanted to bring in a touch of my Australian homeland, with natural contrasting colours and different spaces, while also incorporating luscious plants.\u2019<\/p>\n
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Before image<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Work began in 2015. Amanda recalls Cliff driving an excavator through the house to dig up the existing garden. \u2018He worked hard,\u2019 she says. \u2018It was basically a start-again project. After levelling off the lawn he then constructed the retaining walls and ponds. Next, he moved on to the barbecue area, where he built a roof with heaters to allow us to use the space all year round. It was important to us to have an outdoor room where we could enjoy being outside, whatever the weather, as a family.\u2019<\/p> Although Cliff undertook most of the work himself, he brought in builders for the retaining walls and floor tiles: \u2018They finished them in half the time it would have taken me,\u2019 he remarks. \u2018I also had the electrics completed by a trained contractor.\u2019<\/p>\n The end result certainly has the wow factor: the vast plot is now divided up into zones that include a modern seating area next to a calming pond and waterfall, a tranquil orchard and a large undercover barbecue and dining space. \u2018It\u2019s a great place to entertain,\u2019 says Amanda. \u2018I had bespoke cushions made for the seats in a vibrant lime \u2013 they really stand out. It\u2019s also a lovely space to sit on cooler evenings, with the fire pit to keep us warm and cosy.\u2019<\/p>\n Satisfied with the results of all his hard work, Cliff still has some plans to keep the garden scheme evolving. \u2018If I could get the excavator back through the house I would make a natural swimming pond,\u2019 he explains. \u2018I\u2019m currently thinking of changing the large water feature into a splash pool that is deep enough and warm enough to swim in. I\u2019ve also seeded the orchard with wildflowers and we are hoping to see this area grow into a haven for bees and other nature over time.\u2019<\/p>\n \u2018The orchard has a fantastic grass patch where you can lay a rug and laze about,\u2019 Amanda adds. \u2018You feel as if you could be in the middle of fruit trees in any part of the countryside. It\u2019s absolutely idyllic.\u2019<\/p>Advertisements<\/div><\/div>\r\n<\/figure><\/div>\n![\"Pullen](\"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Pullen-Garden-1.jpg\")
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![\"Pullen](\"https:\/\/www.goodhomesmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Pullen-Garden-4.jpg\")
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