North London garden designer revamps this terrace property.
Brief
Jeni was looking for a north London garden designer and had found Earth Designs via their Instagram account. She wanted some ideas for her Finsbury Park garden to cope with privacy and make the space more sociable. Storage was a problem and also the various levels.
The clients have extensively renovated the interior of this Victorian property. The split level garden has been landscaped in the past, but now feels dated and uninspired. It is overlooked from various angles and the awkward layout and multiple level changes make it seem disjointed and difficult to use. The clients require storage and the facility to entertain large gatherings comfortably and with style.
Solution
The proposed design aims to unify the main area of the garden in a single level. The space will be divided I into sections made up variously of decking, paving and planting beds. Directly outside the back door will be large decked area that will provide ample room for a dining table and chairs. The existing fence will be dressed with timber cladding, in front of which 3 tall planters will be positioned. A second Cor-Ten steel wall will provide a backdrop and dividing boundary between the upper area and the lower section around the side of the house, with decked steps allowing access to the area.
The void space underneath the decking (within the existing sunken corridor running around the house) will be used for storage, with access provided by hinged trapdoors in the decking. A Cor-ten steel wall installed within a planting bed will divide the decked area from the rear of the garden. The rear of the garden itself will be paved with sawn sandstone.
The back left hand corner will feature a timber pergola, which will be installed with a Cor-ten steel laser cut screen to increase privacy and aesthetic appeal. The paving will be enclosed by low raised railway sleeper planting beds (1 sleeper high) to enable the entire central area (decking and paving) to be installed on one level.
Pleached trees along the left hand boundary will create a privacy screen. Planting will be simple and low maintenance with a primarily green and white colour scheme.
