Gardens here
Predominantly 1970s-2000s housing — the Locks Heath estates, Lockswood, Brookside. Mid-size rear gardens, typically eight to fifteen metres deep, often left as developer-grade lawn at handover. Suburban and family-orientated; gardens are used.
Soil is generally good — free-draining over the same river-terrace gravel bed that runs down to the Hamble, covered in soils across the Solent. Plot proportions tend toward rectangular, which suits clean hardscape geometry well.
Working the area
Five to ten minutes from the studio. Regular work in the area; site visits same day where the calendar supports it.
Material decisions
Full studio palette available without heritage constraints. Newer-build gardens often benefit from a strong design move — a defined entertaining zone, a sleeper raised bed run, a transition path — rather than incremental small-scale work spread across the plot.
In practice
See Garden transformation, Locks Heath 2026: an uneven, largely unusable garden rebuilt into a bright, low-maintenance space, with a new porcelain patio, brick-edged lawn, planting beds, and a new gate and fencing.
Frequently asked
Do you work in Locks Heath?
Yes — five to ten minutes from the studio, with frequent work in the area and same-day site visits where the calendar supports it.
What's the ground like in Locks Heath?
Free-draining river terrace gravel, straightforward to build on and good for clean hardscape geometry. More on it in soils across the Solent.
Can I see the Locks Heath project?
Yes — see the finished garden: a new porcelain patio, brick-edged lawn and new gate and fencing.