Garden Tour: A Tricky-shaped Garden Gains Order and Privacy
This elegant garden was once a series of unconnected zones. Now it has a focal point and space to entertain
There were many design challenges to overcome to create this lush, inviting and secluded urban garden – chiefly, its shape, which forms a perimeter around almost the entire detached house. “The plot comprised a number of unconnected zones: a narrow front garden path, a main lawn, which struggled in a semi-shady triangular space, and another narrow, shady space leading to a dark and poky ‘back garden’ area,” designer Charlotte Rowe explains.
The plan was to create two main spaces – a dining area off the kitchen at the back of the house and a secluded seating area in the largest section of garden, the above-mentioned triangular space at the front of the house. As every part of the garden, not just these two sections, is overlooked by various windows on the ground floor, the pathways between these areas had to be equally lovely to look at.
The plan was to create two main spaces – a dining area off the kitchen at the back of the house and a secluded seating area in the largest section of garden, the above-mentioned triangular space at the front of the house. As every part of the garden, not just these two sections, is overlooked by various windows on the ground floor, the pathways between these areas had to be equally lovely to look at.
The same area after the redesign (seen from a different angle).
“We instilled symmetry in this part of the garden by putting a square area inside the triangle for socialising and sitting in,” Charlotte explains. “The rest of the triangle is planting. It gives you privacy and a sense of order.”
This is the largest part of the unusually shaped overall garden, and is situated to the left of the house, at the front.
“We instilled symmetry in this part of the garden by putting a square area inside the triangle for socialising and sitting in,” Charlotte explains. “The rest of the triangle is planting. It gives you privacy and a sense of order.”
This is the largest part of the unusually shaped overall garden, and is situated to the left of the house, at the front.
The seating area shown with lighting on, highlighting the trees.
This view of the space shows the wall seen in the first picture.
Charlotte and the owners decided against a lawn, as there isn’t enough light, exacerbated by an existing mimosa tree. Instead, she suggested a mix of gravel and paving.
Pale grey Spanish limestone paving and limestone gravel help to lighten the area, while planted rills and yew hedging break up the space and add to the sense of order.
To boost privacy here, Charlotte also planted multi-stem trees, including Parrotia persica and Amelanchier lamarckii, along the boundaries.
A narrow strip of garden continues out of the other side of this area up the side of the house and leads to a utility area Charlotte created, where there’s space for bins.
Charlotte and the owners decided against a lawn, as there isn’t enough light, exacerbated by an existing mimosa tree. Instead, she suggested a mix of gravel and paving.
Pale grey Spanish limestone paving and limestone gravel help to lighten the area, while planted rills and yew hedging break up the space and add to the sense of order.
To boost privacy here, Charlotte also planted multi-stem trees, including Parrotia persica and Amelanchier lamarckii, along the boundaries.
A narrow strip of garden continues out of the other side of this area up the side of the house and leads to a utility area Charlotte created, where there’s space for bins.
A close-up of one of the planted rills and gravel.
To see more from this designer, click on any of the images here, then on Learn More if you’re in the app, and follow the links to her profile.
To see more from this designer, click on any of the images here, then on Learn More if you’re in the app, and follow the links to her profile.
This is Charlotte’s plan for the garden.
The main seating area seen in previous photos is the large, triangular-shaped area bottom-left. The front door is bottom-middle of the drawing. The dark green squares in rows are the hedges. The square at the top right of the drawing, below the garage, is a paved dining area.
The main seating area seen in previous photos is the large, triangular-shaped area bottom-left. The front door is bottom-middle of the drawing. The dark green squares in rows are the hedges. The square at the top right of the drawing, below the garage, is a paved dining area.
This is the long, narrow strip that runs in front of the house. The arch in the bay hedge at the far end leads to the main part of the garden containing the seating, just pictured. The front door to the house is beneath the little tiled roof.
“This is the sunny part of the garden and also the front entrance, so the first thing you see when you arrive. It needed to be richly planted,” Charlotte says.
Planting in this section includes Alchemilla mollis; Sedum ‘Matrona’; Libertia grandiflora, and Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia.
“This is the sunny part of the garden and also the front entrance, so the first thing you see when you arrive. It needed to be richly planted,” Charlotte says.
Planting in this section includes Alchemilla mollis; Sedum ‘Matrona’; Libertia grandiflora, and Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia.
This view shows the same part of the garden looking the other way.
Find a landscape architect or garden designer in your area.
Find a landscape architect or garden designer in your area.
This is the section of garden immediately beyond the hedging arch. To the right is the sitting area.
This shows the view looking back through the bay arch.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ blooms on the right.
Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’ blooms on the right.
Another narrow stretch of garden runs up the other side of the house. Two oversized decorative urns on the left replaced a water feature and provide a focal point, as the drawing room window overlooks them.
As it’s dark in this spot, shade-loving plants, including Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia and Dryopteris wallichiana (alpine wood fern), were planted here. Low down, Hakonechloa macra, an ornamental grass, spills from the beds across the path, softening the line.
At the end of this strip, just behind where the picture was taken from and also accessible from the back of the house, is a paved dining area.
As it’s dark in this spot, shade-loving plants, including Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia and Dryopteris wallichiana (alpine wood fern), were planted here. Low down, Hakonechloa macra, an ornamental grass, spills from the beds across the path, softening the line.
At the end of this strip, just behind where the picture was taken from and also accessible from the back of the house, is a paved dining area.
The dining area as it looked before Charlotte’s redesign.
Here, you get a glimpse of the new dining area. Situated at the back of the house, between the kitchen and garage, this had previously been a shady, under-used space. “It was dark and gloomy. [The owners] thought they’d never use it, but now they do,” Charlotte says.
To lighten it, she substantially pruned back a large Magnolia grandiflora. The pale paving also helps to lighten up the area, as does more organised planting.
The plants here includes Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia; Polystichum setiferum ‘Pulcherrimum Bevis’, and clematis and jasmine climbing up the walls.
To lighten it, she substantially pruned back a large Magnolia grandiflora. The pale paving also helps to lighten up the area, as does more organised planting.
The plants here includes Hebe parviflora var. angustifolia; Polystichum setiferum ‘Pulcherrimum Bevis’, and clematis and jasmine climbing up the walls.
The dining area as seen from above. The door on the left leads into the garage.
This is the view to the left as you come out of the home’s front door.
The passageways between the main parts of the garden are punctuated by a series of limestone strips and planted rills, in which Galium odoratum grows.
The passageways between the main parts of the garden are punctuated by a series of limestone strips and planted rills, in which Galium odoratum grows.
Right next to the front door (the brickwork of which is visible on the right), Charlotte added a large, low herb container.
Tell us…
Which parts of this interestingly shaped garden are your favourites? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
Which parts of this interestingly shaped garden are your favourites? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A professional couple
Location Chiswick, west London
Property A detached, Norman Shaw-designed Arts and Crafts house
Garden dimensions In total, just over 300 sq m, running around the house and including a long, thin garden along the facade, a small terrace at the back, a winding path, and a triangular section
Designer Charlotte Rowe of Charlotte Rowe Garden Design
This before photo shows the main triangle area of the garden as it was. Charlotte turned it into an elegant seating area.