City Garden

The brief

To create an informal garden that is warm and inviting whilst functional, sustainable and fairly low maintenance. The entrance to the basement from the garden is to be enhanced and made more welcoming.

The garden is to be in keeping with the area and the house, and has to include plants that have been selected so that they are the right plant for the right place.

Problems to overcome

The garden is a long, narrow, awkwardly shaped shady, north-facing space that had little interest.

The space

27 m long x 2.5 m wide increasing to 5 m at the far end.

The design solution

The garden encompasses shade-loving woodland-style planting that has a naturalistic, informal feel within a geometric design inspired by the octagonal shapes of the building and the interesting angularity of the steps. 

Combining the octagonal shape, which foreshortens the view, with the changes in level (raised beds and patio area), and the use of diagonals break-up the corridor feel of the garden. Setts running across the path, generous sized paths, and planting has resulted in a garden that now feels wider and larger than it really is.

A trellis around the patio area combined with layered lower maintenance planting, which focuses on texture and form, gives a sense of place and offers interest, seclusion and privacy.

Selecting woodland plants and those that like shade connect with the birch and other mature trees in the vicinity and are most appropriate for a shady garden.