Entrance in Haaksbergen
In the outskirts of Haaksbergen, you may just stumble upon a gem of a garden. In the green surroundings stands a rural but contemporary villa with a thatched cladding on facade and roof. Long clean lines in the garden, connect seamlessly with the home. This ensures that the home is harmoniously incorporated into its green surroundings. The impressive but friendly entrance suggests that the villa and the hidden backyard are at least as imposing.
Richard de Jong, of Ontwerpstudio Nova is the designer of this garden. The residents wanted a low-maintenance garden that would match both the home and its surroundings. Initially, the brief was to design only a new backyard.
The front and back gardens are separated by the house. Yet both are essential to harmonize the home and its surroundings. Richard de Jong’s design for the front yard was therefore also allowed to be executed.
Green in the lead role
Not sleek paving has the main role at the entrance. By making the greenery central, the plot has a friendly atmosphere. In the center is a lawn surrounded by ample gravel paths. Cars are thus immediately directed to the left toward the parking lot in front of the garage.
Diversity of plantings provides year-round atmosphere
A trumpet tree with yellow leaves adorns the lawn. A strip full of different greenery lies one meter parallel to the front facade. From lampshade grass to panicle hydrangeas and a blue-flowering Paulowna Tomentosa. The planting is not only variable in appearance, but also varied in flowering period. This makes for a summer full of greenery, a discoloration in fall and a beautiful rugged atmosphere in winter. Throughout the year, this diverse planting blends beautifully with the thatched cladding of the facade and roof.
It is very attractive to have the tiles rise just slightly above the substrate.
Large stepping stones
From the entrance, large tiles traverse the central lawn. Schellevis® tiles of 100 x 200 cm are set as large stepping stones to the front door between the grass or gravel. In almost every design, Richard de Jong chooses Schellevis® Concrete Tiles. “They stay clean, are colorfast, and the head side has the same texture as the top. It is therefore very attractive to have the tiles just slightly above the surface. This is not only beautiful, but also very practical. The gravel does not land on the tiles while walking. In addition, the gravel lies in stabilization mats so that it stays neatly in place.” –
Working with contrast keeps the borders interesting.
Beautiful and functional
The main terrace adjacent to the home is covered with a louvre roof by Livium. The slats can be tuned to the desire for sun or shade. And fully closed, the roof provides shelter from rain and wind. “This patio was an existing patio. However, there are Schellevis® tiles of 80 x 80 cm around it.” In this way, Richard manages to connect this terrace with the rest of the garden. The walls around the pool are low and thus also act as sitting walls. Here the wall cover again comes from the Schellevis® range. Because a Schellevis® tile is also very suitable as a seating element. The lawn again has loose Schellevis® tiles as stepping stones. “The size of 50x100cm is ideal for this application. These can be laid in the right proportion in the grass, so it also runs nicely.” For the gravel path, both front and back, Richard uses mesh gravel. “You often see that for gravel, a homogeneous anthracite is used. To me, that creates the feeling of a cemetery. This mesh gravel is more blended. It looks more natural and friendly. Moreover, it matches the light gray tiles perfectly.”
First sight, great promise
This entrance with a warm welcoming character, promises a lot for the backyard. From the home, you see immediately that this promise is fulfilled. The plantings here are also year-round to enjoy. Not only for humans but also birds, butterflies, bees and other insects benefit from this garden. Flower borders are built from low to high like a stand with year-round blooms. In doing so, Richard de Jong also paid close attention to the leaf. Working with contrast in foliage, fine with coarse and light with dark, keeps the borders interesting. After all, flowers often bloom for only a few weeks, the foliage can be seen for about eight months. Arborescent flowers are combined with umbel. For the patio by the back door, Richard used 120 x 120 cm Schellevis® tiles. “The size of these tiles fit nicely with the style of the house,” Richard explains. Already in the design, the tiles are drawn in such a way that the cutting loss is minimal. “Surely that looks tighter and calmer.”
Richard varied the size and application of Schellevis® tile in this project. While he has remained true to color. “The light gray color shows off the green of the planting very nicely. That’s why I often choose this color. It is not overpowering and yet very friendly.” The appearance and endless possibilities of Schellevis® tile provide a beautiful finish to functional applications in this garden. And that very look ensures that the paving in the garden provides a fitting stage for the greenery.
Design: Richard de Jong, Ontwerpstudio Nova
Photography: Cees Rijnen