Sometimes big dreams can come true even in small spaces: the client wanted a distant view of the countryside and had built a villa on a 600 m² plot less than a 15-minute drive from Cologne Cathedral. Not far from the Rhine, Cologne-based landscape architect Brigitte Röde designed a modern garden with sweeping views of the floodplain landscape.

The cubic house in timeless Bauhaus style opens up to the floodplain with a transparent façade. The unobstructed view extends from the terrace directly adjacent to the house across the garden to the wooded banks of the Rhine. Tall shrubs and fencing were deliberately omitted. The garden design combines the subtle minimalism of the house with the wild naturalness of the floodplain. Characteristic elements include an old horse chestnut tree and an imposing weeping willow, also already present on the property, which give the design stability and character. Less is more – that is the credo in this garden: minimal materials, few sealed surfaces and a harmonious colour scheme. In addition, the straight lines of the modern detached villa are echoed and reflected in the garden. A spacious terrace made of limestone slabs connects directly to the glass front of the living area. The horse chestnut tree is surrounded by a semi-circular flowerbed that integrates it into the garden. At the same time, the elevated position creates an attractive and sheltered seating area under the tree. The gently sloping terrain is offset by lawn steps and low natural stone walls, creating flat lawn areas that invite you to sit, celebrate and play. Like bright ribbons, they run through the green lawn and give the area structure – lined with a planting of shrubs, perennials and grasses that extends to the end of the property. The garden merges seamlessly into the floodplain landscape. The level of the property is intercepted by high wall sections, which serve as flood protection on the one hand, but also – like an "aha" ditch in an English landscape garden – as a boundary protection with a clear view at the same time. Finally, at the lowest point of the property is a wooden deck: during spring floods, you can sit here as if on a jetty right by the water. The lights, which are modelled on bollards, almost invite you to moor boats. The garden shows great dynamism throughout the seasons in its choice of plants, which offer a rich source of food for bees and butterflies. In spring, after the grasses have been cut back, it appears transparent and gives snowdrops, tulips and ornamental onions space to bloom. In summer, lush perennial borders of cranesbill, catnip, coneflowers and daylilies form an inviting setting. When autumn arrives, the grasses dominate, offering a charming view together with the autumn colours of the trees, which also fits well into the surroundings in winter and seems to dissolve the boundaries – the garden becomes part of the river landscape.

www.brigitte-roede.de

(Published in CUBE Cologne Bonn 04|20)