Victorian Courtyard Garden

  • These clients approached us with a clear vision for their home and garden transformation. With a growing family and a love of thoughtful design, they wanted a garden that would enhance daily life while tying together the historic and modern elements of their home. We worked closely with them to create a layout that felt personal, practical, and timeless.

  • The property is a grand double-fronted Victorian house, extended with striking modern architecture to the side and rear. While the front retained its original symmetry, the entrance had been lost due to poor 1970s alterations. We reconfigured the levels to restore a traditional front staircase, blending it with a gently sloping drive and pathway for modern accessibility.

    A major challenge was integrating an underground garage while preserving a mature yew tree. New red brick walls and layered planting provided privacy and softness without blocking key views. The side garden was transformed into a secluded courtyard with a water bowl and a discreet route from the basement laundry to a tucked-away drying area.

    At the rear, the garden felt overgrown and disconnected, with steep level changes limiting use. We needed to link the old and new parts of the house and open up the space for family life.

  • Our design created a sense of flow and openness, with curved walls, gentle steps, and a sloping lawn that softened the site’s levels. A romantic planting palette,including the clients’ favourite roses, brought softness and seasonal interest.

    At the top of the garden, a summer house captured long views and offered a cosy retreat for family time. A natural play area was subtly integrated for the children, ensuring the garden offered something for everyone - calm, beauty, and moments of joy throughout.A generous, species-rich organic lawn not only allows space for family games but also supports pollinators and ground-feeding birds with its rich tapestry of flowering plants. Curving paths guide visitors through the garden, fostering a sense of journey and rhythm. Planting beds curve gently around the lawn like a soft embrace, and the overall use of sweeping, organic forms helps mask the irregular boundaries of the plot, turning a design constraint into a defining feature.

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