Richmond garden transformation – Indian sandstone circle and modern sleeper borders
A Richmond terrace garden reimagined around a circular Indian sandstone focal point — with timber sleeper borders, simple neutral paving and year-round low-maintenance planting, designed and built in-house by Flourish Landscaping.
A tired, underused plot
This Richmond terrace garden had become tired and underused, with patchy lawn, dated paving and planting that lacked any real structure. There was nothing to draw the eye or hold the space together, so a perfectly good garden was simply going to waste.
Client brief
The owners wanted a clean, contemporary garden that felt welcoming and stayed easy to maintain, while keeping enough greenery to feel alive rather than purely paved over.
1. Focal point: mint sandstone circle
2. Modern sleeper edges
3. Planting redesign and soiling
Design approach
Led by Craig Davis BSc (Hons) Horticulture, the design turned on one strong idea: a clear focal point and better circulation. A circular Indian sandstone centrepiece gives the small garden a confident heart and a natural place to gather, with the layout reworked around it so the whole space finally reads as deliberate.
Timber sleeper borders define the planting zones and bring natural texture, while the planting itself was selected for year-round reliability and colour contrast rather than high-maintenance drama — the considered, low-maintenance planting we favour in compact gardens.
Construction details
The existing paving and lawn were lifted and the ground prepared with a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base for long-term stability. The Indian sandstone circle and surrounding paving were laid on a full mortar bed — the right way to bed natural stone so it stays firm, level and true for years rather than lifting or rocking. As APL- and TrustMark-accredited landscapers, the groundwork was given as much care as the finish.
Results
The completed garden now feels structured, brighter and far more inviting. The sandstone circle acts as a natural gathering point, the sleeper borders frame the planting and give it visual order, and the neutral paving keeps everything calm and contemporary.
What was once an overlooked outdoor space is now used regularly for sitting out and entertaining — a neat demonstration of how one clear focal feature and thoughtful planting can transform a small garden. It is the kind of result that sits behind our 5.0 rating across 51 Google reviews.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
A circular Indian sandstone centrepiece gives this small terrace garden a confident heart and a natural place to gather. The previously tired, underused plot had patchy lawn, dated paving and no structure, so we reworked the whole layout around the sandstone circle until the space finally read as deliberate and inviting.
The existing paving and lawn were lifted and the ground prepared with a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base for long-term stability. The Indian sandstone circle and surrounding paving were then laid on a full mortar bed, the right way to bed natural stone so it stays firm, level and true for years rather than lifting or rocking.
Yes. Timber sleeper borders define the planting zones and bring natural texture, while the planting was chosen for year-round reliability and colour contrast rather than high-maintenance drama. As APL- and TrustMark-accredited landscapers, we would gladly show how a single clear focal feature and thoughtful planting can transform a compact plot.
