Three Gardens in One

The brief for this large London garden was to create a family garden which is dog friendly that looks effortlessly stylish.  Catering for a love of festivals and entertaining as well as being a place to relax and retreat

This is a large 700 sqm garden in East Dulwich, SE London so we created three gardens in one. The existing mature Taxus baccata (Yew), Pyrus communis (Pear) trees were retained along with a copse of Prunus insititia (Damson) trees thereby creating a sense of establishment and history to the garden.

The garden was divided into distinct zones; close to the house a formal dining area features a bespoke built-in bench, the terrace paving is beige sawn sandstone.  The dining area is surrounded by year-round interest planting.

The next zone features an atmospheric contemporary gravel garden - Cotswolds pebbles were used to compliment the beige sawn sandstone terrace.  Planting rills of Gallium odoratum lead through the garden which has a mature Taxus bacatta and Pyrus communis. An Amelanchier lamarckii multi stem and Acacia pravissima are underplanted with Euphorbia, Pittosporum, Hakonechloa macra and Astrantia. A bistro table and chairs is located next to scented plants including Azalea luteum and Trachelospermum jasminoides. There is a seating area at the far end of the gravel garden which is secluded in dappled shade which has a view of both the gravel garden and the lawn garden. 

A path then leads through a Taxus baccata hedge onto a large sweeping lawn for playing games and having out-door gigs, the path leads on to an entertainment area with a fire bowl.

Atmospheric lighting has been included throughout the planting borders to allow the garden to be used after dark for social or recreational use. The lighting means the garden can be enjoyed from inside the house during the winter months.