Gardens here
Mix of older village properties, Victorian seaside terraces (the Netley Hospital area), and modern infill housing. Strong horticultural heritage thanks to the Royal Victoria Country Park — many gardens here have been worked over decades and have established mature planting.
Underneath, much of Netley sits on the Bracklesham Beds that run through this part of Eastleigh borough — a sand-and-clay mix rather than one clean soil type, and close enough to Southampton Water that made ground turns up on some of the newer waterside plots. Worth a trial hole before anything's designed; the same principle applies right along this stretch of coast, covered in soils across the Solent.
Working the area
Fifteen to twenty minutes from the studio. Familiar territory.
Material decisions
Traditional-leaning palettes often suit the village fabric — reclaimed brick, sandstone, oak structures, planting that sits well alongside what's already mature on site. Newer streets accept a wider material range.
In practice
The studio archive doesn't yet feature a Netley project. The traditional-palette work in Bottom-of-garden patio, Fareham 2025 is the closest reference for how the studio handles established-plot briefs.
Discuss a Netley briefFrequently asked
Do you work in Netley?
Yes — fifteen to twenty minutes from the studio, and familiar territory.
What's the ground like in Netley?
A sand-and-clay mix from the Bracklesham Beds, with made ground on some of the newer waterside plots. Worth checking with a trial hole rather than assuming from the postcode — more in soils across the Solent.
Have you completed a project in Netley?
Not yet. The traditional-palette work in Bottom-of-garden patio, Fareham 2025 is the closest reference for how the studio handles established-plot briefs.