This attractive Georgian town house has a lovely south-facing aspect and modest size (17m by 10m at its widest)

The client loves being outside and keen to make the most of their city garden for their family, especially after their recent extension pushing new living space into the garden area.    They required a utility space to the rear for bikes/storage, a sunken trampoline for the children, a dining space for 8, open to a water feature and didn’t require a lawn.

The design solution took some principles from show gardens as the space was modest and viewed from two sides and above.  The scheme used height changes to make the space feel larger, and present the elevated planted garden on a pedestal almost like a gallery exhibit (so pretentious!).  The dining terrace, plus a separate seating snug area were on a lower level, with a step up onto the planted main garden from two access points.  A limestone boulder seat nestled under a tree close to an elegant Lily bowl water feature were the focal point within the garden. 

The aim was to have bountiful, lush and immersive naturalistic planting to contrast against the elegant limestone and brick hard landscape surrounding.  We used staggered limestone pavers, within gravel which bleed into the planting, which then appear to be encroaching into the space to heighten that organic feel.

We planted around the sunken trampoline to screen it as much as possible, and faced the utility space to the rear with black painted slatted timbers and Portuguese Laurel pleached trees.