5 Inspiring Before and After Garden Transformations
Check out what a difference designers have made to these once dull plots, visually expanding spaces and creating privacy
Is your garden less than lovely? Are you looking to create a relaxing haven, space to entertain or somewhere to enjoy hobbies? Then you might be cheered by these fantastic transformations in which designers have taken both overgrown and sterile spaces and created useful, beautiful and secluded havens for their owners. Take a look and save your favourites to an ideabook for future reference.
The key to fitting so much into the relatively small space is the lush planting, which hides the various areas and creates a sense of mystery for anyone walking down the garden, with different areas slowly being revealed. This also makes the garden feel bigger, as there’s plenty to explore.
Natasha took advantage of the established surrounding greenery to visually expand the garden, growing tall plants and climbers to merge with the ‘borrowed landscape’ and suggest a much bigger plot. She also chose lots of evergreen plants to keep the lush feel as much as possible in winter.
The owners now make full use of their garden, calling it “an all-year-round delight”.
Follow the journey from empty plot to relaxed entertaining space.
Natasha took advantage of the established surrounding greenery to visually expand the garden, growing tall plants and climbers to merge with the ‘borrowed landscape’ and suggest a much bigger plot. She also chose lots of evergreen plants to keep the lush feel as much as possible in winter.
The owners now make full use of their garden, calling it “an all-year-round delight”.
Follow the journey from empty plot to relaxed entertaining space.
2. Creating privacy
If your garden is overlooked, you might find this transformation inspiring.
The original plot could be viewed from many neighbouring windows, which deterred the owners from using it. It was also quite dark at the back, so the key challenge for designer Nigel Gomme of Cityscapers was to create privacy without blocking the light.
Keen to revamp your garden? It’s easy to find and hire garden designers through Houzz.
If your garden is overlooked, you might find this transformation inspiring.
The original plot could be viewed from many neighbouring windows, which deterred the owners from using it. It was also quite dark at the back, so the key challenge for designer Nigel Gomme of Cityscapers was to create privacy without blocking the light.
Keen to revamp your garden? It’s easy to find and hire garden designers through Houzz.
Nigel’s solution was to plant trees to create screening and greenery above head height, where it was most needed. “…they provide canopies of greenery that structure the space and screen off neighbouring properties, so you can sit on any of the benches and it feels secluded,” he says.
He also fitted a high cedar fence above the wall and planted evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), which should spread and form a soft screen.
Now the previously unused space is a calm and private retreat.
Discover how Nigel’s design was inspired by the architecture of the house.
He also fitted a high cedar fence above the wall and planted evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), which should spread and form a soft screen.
Now the previously unused space is a calm and private retreat.
Discover how Nigel’s design was inspired by the architecture of the house.
3. Fitting in lots of activities
This overgrown plot was pleasingly wild, but the owners wanted to find a way to combine lush planting with the activities they enjoy, so they could spend lots of time in their garden.
Designer Miles Raybould of Belsize Gardens was asked to fit areas for exercise, relaxation, gardening, cooking and dining into the 11m sq plot.
This overgrown plot was pleasingly wild, but the owners wanted to find a way to combine lush planting with the activities they enjoy, so they could spend lots of time in their garden.
Designer Miles Raybould of Belsize Gardens was asked to fit areas for exercise, relaxation, gardening, cooking and dining into the 11m sq plot.
Miles opened up the space, but kept several of the existing trees, simply pruning them back, including a huge ash, seen here next to the garden room. Brick paving forms pathways that wind from the kitchen (just out of shot bottom left) to the garden room – used for exercise – and round to a relaxed seating area through organically shaped beds filled with fairly tall planting to create a leafy, secluded feel.
Climbers spreading along slatted fences join neighbouring greenery to retain some of that original lush feel.
See the whole of this garden and read the story of its creation.
Climbers spreading along slatted fences join neighbouring greenery to retain some of that original lush feel.
See the whole of this garden and read the story of its creation.
4. Greening a hard space
Inherited a sterile plot? Take ideas from this design. The young family who own this 5m sq terrace wanted a space where they could relax and the children could play.
The terrace is built over an underground car park, so a lawn and flowerbeds were out of the question. Luckily, designer Melanie Hick, who the owners found on Houzz, came up with some clever ideas.
Inherited a sterile plot? Take ideas from this design. The young family who own this 5m sq terrace wanted a space where they could relax and the children could play.
The terrace is built over an underground car park, so a lawn and flowerbeds were out of the question. Luckily, designer Melanie Hick, who the owners found on Houzz, came up with some clever ideas.
Using a combination of planters, large troughs, gabions and a metal arch, Melanie was able to introduce both greenery and attractive homes for insects.
Tall grasses and star jasmine growing up the fence create a lovely leafy feel, and once covered in greenery, the arch will offer seclusion from neighbours.
The resulting design is an enveloping, wildlife-friendly haven with naturalistic planting that’s full of intrigue for the children and a much more restful spot for the couple to sit and enjoy.
Learn more about Melanie’s design for this tricky terrace.
Tall grasses and star jasmine growing up the fence create a lovely leafy feel, and once covered in greenery, the arch will offer seclusion from neighbours.
The resulting design is an enveloping, wildlife-friendly haven with naturalistic planting that’s full of intrigue for the children and a much more restful spot for the couple to sit and enjoy.
Learn more about Melanie’s design for this tricky terrace.
5. Making a slope useable
The arrival of a new garden room for use as a home office threw into sharp focus just how much this garden sloped. The muddy area, which dropped by about 2m, was more or less unusable.
Searching on Houzz, the owners found designer Henry Scott of Pehrsson Scott and asked him to level the plot and create easy access to the home office. As this is a sunny area, they also wanted the planting to have a Mediterranean feel.
The arrival of a new garden room for use as a home office threw into sharp focus just how much this garden sloped. The muddy area, which dropped by about 2m, was more or less unusable.
Searching on Houzz, the owners found designer Henry Scott of Pehrsson Scott and asked him to level the plot and create easy access to the home office. As this is a sunny area, they also wanted the planting to have a Mediterranean feel.
The garden is large with plenty of greenery, so Henry could afford to turn this area into a courtyard. As it’s bounded on two sides by the office and the home’s kitchen, it lent itself to being the sociable part of the garden.
To create the Mediterranean feel, he planted a trio of pencil cypress trees in front of the fence and a Greek olive tree, as well as Verbena bonariensis and Agapanthus, both of which are very bee-friendly.
Planters on the steps of the home office are filled with Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass), bringing soft greenery up close to anyone at work in the building.
See the other areas in this garden and learn more about how the awkward plot was designed.
Tell us…
Would you like to do more with your garden? Have any of these designs inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
To create the Mediterranean feel, he planted a trio of pencil cypress trees in front of the fence and a Greek olive tree, as well as Verbena bonariensis and Agapanthus, both of which are very bee-friendly.
Planters on the steps of the home office are filled with Stipa tenuissima (Mexican feather grass), bringing soft greenery up close to anyone at work in the building.
See the other areas in this garden and learn more about how the awkward plot was designed.
Tell us…
Would you like to do more with your garden? Have any of these designs inspired you? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
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Looking at the ‘before’ shot of this city garden, it’s hard to believe designer Natasha Nuttall managed to squeeze in a lounging area, a dining table, a casual seating area and an outdoor kitchen, while at the same time making the plot feel bigger.
The homeowners wanted somewhere they could entertain that still had a leafy, secluded feel, so Natasha used several design tricks to create a sense of space while giving them all the seating and features they desired.