Herne Bay

For this project, our approach to garden design in Herne Bay centred on creating a contemporary garden that felt like a natural extension of the house. The site’s biggest challenge was its slope: the brief called for a clear, easy route down to the bottom of the garden, turning a difficult change in level into something the clients could move through comfortably. They wanted a naturalistic wildlife pond, complemented with prairie-style planting.

As specialists in garden design in Herne Bay, we made sure every element of this design worked together. From the outset, we chose materials that would build a soft, natural colour palette. We selected these carefully to reflect the tones inside the house, so the transition from indoors to outdoors felt seamless. The aim throughout was to create a garden that feels calm, achieved through textures and colours that remain gentle and unforced rather than bold or busy.

The planting scheme is taken from the coast, which shapes much of our approach to garden design in Herne Bay and along this stretch of the Kent coastline. We chose a range of species that thrive in coastal conditions, so the garden stays healthy and full of interest through every season. Beyond the colour this brings across the year, the layered planting adds real depth and texture — low grasses and groundcover in front, taller perennials and shrubs behind — so there’s always something to catch the eye, whatever the season.

It’s this coastal-led approach that sets our garden design in Herne Bay apart, tailoring every planting and material choice to the local conditions rather than a generic scheme.

The finished garden shows what thoughtful garden design can achieve, letting the house and its surroundings work as one, with the design flowing naturally from indoors to out. A garden should feel like a natural extension of the home — somewhere that draws people outside to relax, not a separate space tacked on at the edges. This is the philosophy behind our garden design in Herne Bay: every choice, from materials to planting, reflects that thinking, and the result is a space that feels both serene and genuinely welcoming.

Set close to the Kent Coast, this garden design in Herne Bay was built with relaxing and dining in mind. Comfortable sunbeds create a spot to unwind, while a small dining area makes room for eating outdoors with family and friends. The layout was carefully planned to make the most of the space available while keeping it open and uncluttered — ideal for a garden living so close to the shore.

The paths and zoning are just as central to the design. Wood-style boardwalks do more than provide practical walkways; they bring warmth and a natural feel to the whole space. Gravel laid between the boards adds a decorative finish while helping with drainage, giving the garden a relaxed, beachy character throughout.

To finish the design, we chose a range of lush Sedum album, Thymus and Eryngium to fill the spaces between the gravel and timber. Selected specifically for coastal conditions, these plants bring movement, colour and texture to the garden across every season, softening the hard landscaping and helping the whole space settle naturally into its coastal surroundings — a hallmark of our approach to garden design in Herne Bay and along this stretch of coastline.

If you’d like a garden designed around your own outdoor space, we’d love to help you create it. Get in touch to discuss how we can transform your garden.

Built by Carl

Designed and planted by Ivy & Whyte Garden Design

Plants from Palmstead