Houzz Tours
Garden Tour: A Calm, Urban Oasis With Space For Entertaining
Before and after photos show how an overgrown plot has been turned into a modern, tranquil garden
For designer Tom Howard, the owner of this garden at the rear of an Edwardian house was a dream to work with. “He’d seen my work on Houzz, so he knew the kinds of spaces I usually design,” he says.
Tom’s brief was to transform the messy plot into an easy-to-maintain space where the owner could both entertain and relax. He also had to meet two challenges – to incorporate two beautiful, established trees and to muffle the noise of a railway line behind the back fence.
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Tom’s brief was to transform the messy plot into an easy-to-maintain space where the owner could both entertain and relax. He also had to meet two challenges – to incorporate two beautiful, established trees and to muffle the noise of a railway line behind the back fence.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
“The garden was overgrown and it has a noisy railway line right behind the back fence,” Tom says. “There were also a couple of established trees – a magnolia and a pear – that we needed to work the design around.”
As well as finding solutions for these two aspects, the owner also asked Tom for a barbecue area where he could entertain friends and family.
Find a garden designer or landscape architect in your neighbourhood on Houzz.
As well as finding solutions for these two aspects, the owner also asked Tom for a barbecue area where he could entertain friends and family.
Find a garden designer or landscape architect in your neighbourhood on Houzz.
Tom chose limestone paving for the patio in a similar colour to the internal flooring. “It’s a lovely natural stone that goes well with the yellow stock brick on the extension,” Tom says.
Limestone paving, London Stone.
Limestone paving, London Stone.
The team built a barbecue area for the owner, with space for an egg-shaped steam oven. “We built the kitchen ourselves and used a concrete enclosure for the egg, as it gets really hot,” Tom says. “There’s also a fire-retardant board beneath the barbecue.”
Within the unit are two cupboards – one for a gas canister and the other for cooking equipment. Both enclosures are topped with a 30mm-thick matt grey granite surface.
“It doesn’t show up the dirt, and works well with the limestone floor and the slate elsewhere in the garden,” Tom says. “The cabinets are made from the same hardwood as the lateral fences, but we’ve run the slats the other way.”
Steam oven, Big Green Egg.
Within the unit are two cupboards – one for a gas canister and the other for cooking equipment. Both enclosures are topped with a 30mm-thick matt grey granite surface.
“It doesn’t show up the dirt, and works well with the limestone floor and the slate elsewhere in the garden,” Tom says. “The cabinets are made from the same hardwood as the lateral fences, but we’ve run the slats the other way.”
Steam oven, Big Green Egg.
Alongside the barbecue area is a living wall, positioned opposite a window seat to provide a verdant view.
“We used concrete blocks and lintels to create the back, and clad it with split-faced slate,” Tom says. “We planted a mix of evergreens in the vertical pods, which are watered with a drip-line irrigation system.”
All of the garden’s irrigation is controlled by a computerised timer system, hidden behind the gate.
Slate, London Stone.
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“We used concrete blocks and lintels to create the back, and clad it with split-faced slate,” Tom says. “We planted a mix of evergreens in the vertical pods, which are watered with a drip-line irrigation system.”
All of the garden’s irrigation is controlled by a computerised timer system, hidden behind the gate.
Slate, London Stone.
Search for stone, paving and concrete professionals in your area.
At the back of the garden, Tom built a high fence. “We stained it darker to lose it slightly and planted a yew hedge in front,” he explains. “This will grow to around four metres high, which will help to reduce the noise of the trains and provide a green backdrop.”
In front, Tom planted a mix of ferns and zingy euphorbia to brighten up the dark area.
A shed is hidden behind a lateral fence to the right, accessed via a limestone path.
In front, Tom planted a mix of ferns and zingy euphorbia to brighten up the dark area.
A shed is hidden behind a lateral fence to the right, accessed via a limestone path.
“We didn’t want the path to only lead to the fence, so we built a decking area halfway along where the owner can sit on beanbags beneath the tree,” Tom says. “It’s nice to be able to walk around a garden and spot different things.”
The paving slabs protrude into the flowerbeds. The design is both aesthetically pleasing and practical, as you can stand on them to reach the back of the border.
To the side of every other paving stone is a washer light fitting, which ‘washes’ the surface with a subtle beam.
To the side of every other paving stone is a washer light fitting, which ‘washes’ the surface with a subtle beam.
Tom’s created a seating area, made from concrete blocks and hardwood, next to a calming water feature.
The ground-level pool spans the width of the garden. The pump is hidden in the alcove behind the lower spout, and the pipework goes to the top spout, which is set into a slate surface.
The pool was rendered with concrete and given a couple of coats of pond sealant paint. Limestone gravel at the bottom lightens it up, and non-toxic chemicals are used to keep the water clear.
The pool was rendered with concrete and given a couple of coats of pond sealant paint. Limestone gravel at the bottom lightens it up, and non-toxic chemicals are used to keep the water clear.
A limestone stepping stone sits above concrete blocks and appears to float. An LED strip around the stone creates an ambient glow in the evening.
Next to the water feature is a raised bed, which helps to introduce height and interest. “It works well with the water feature as a backdrop from the house,” Tom says.
The bed is planted with a Japanese acer, surrounded by box balls and grasses.
The bed is planted with a Japanese acer, surrounded by box balls and grasses.
The team made a feature of the beautiful pear tree by building a bench seat around the trunk. The construction is underplanted with ferns, and there’s an LED strip to illuminate the tree at night.
The planting plan shows a mix of blues and purples, with some fragrant jasmine, which will climb up the fence that hides the shed.
Tell us…
What do you like about this tranquil, contemporary garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like about this tranquil, contemporary garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Who lives here? A single man
Location Southfields, London
Property An Edwardian house
Size 17 x 10m
Garden designer Tom Howard of Tom Howard Garden Design and Landscaping
The transformation of this garden was part of a larger interior renovation project. The homeowner liked Tom Howard’s previous work and showed it to designer Claire Burrage of Clara Bee.
“She asked me to come along to a meeting, and we took it from there,” Tom says. “It was a large project and we came in during the last seven weeks.”