Garden Tour: A Concrete Plot Becomes a Leafy, Contemporary Space
Before and after images reveal how a grey patio was turned into a bright, sociable garden with gorgeous planting
“There was nothing to redeem it,” designer Jenny Bloom says of this outdoor space attached to an east London home. Her task? To turn a bare yard on three different levels and with a missing wall into the garden, outdoor kitchen and entertaining space with the smart, contemporary style the owners wanted.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
Photos
Garden at a Glance
Who lives here? Charlotte and Harry
Location Hackney, east London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Garden dimensions 54 sq m
Designer Jenny Bloom of Jenny Bloom Garden Design
Landscape contractors Wilson Lloyd Landscaping
Photos by Jenny Bloom
Owners Charlotte and Harry spent two years renovating the inside of their home, but called for help when it came to the garden. “They wanted a flexible space for just the two of them, for entertaining, and thinking of future family,” Jenny says.
The garden needed to be relatively low maintenance and, after discussion, the couple opted for quality artificial grass for the small area of lawn. Going faux also means they don’t have to find space to store a mower.
Who lives here? Charlotte and Harry
Location Hackney, east London
Property A Victorian terraced house
Garden dimensions 54 sq m
Designer Jenny Bloom of Jenny Bloom Garden Design
Landscape contractors Wilson Lloyd Landscaping
Photos by Jenny Bloom
Owners Charlotte and Harry spent two years renovating the inside of their home, but called for help when it came to the garden. “They wanted a flexible space for just the two of them, for entertaining, and thinking of future family,” Jenny says.
The garden needed to be relatively low maintenance and, after discussion, the couple opted for quality artificial grass for the small area of lawn. Going faux also means they don’t have to find space to store a mower.
The garden made for dismal viewing before the work began.
The double doors now lead onto a deck with views to the lawn, cooking area and dining table. The deck raised the height of the garden here, making a level step out from the house while retaining the concrete and drainage underneath.
The deck is made from attractive hardwood ipe. “It will last and silver off,” Jenny says. “It doesn’t need treating.”
The wall on the left of the garden had to be reinstated and Jenny opted for London stock brick to integrate it with the existing walls and the house. Horizontal cedar trellis was used above, adding privacy but allowing light through.
“The lines make the garden feel bigger,” Jenny says. The cedar doesn’t need treating and will weather to a beautiful silvery tone.
The deck is made from attractive hardwood ipe. “It will last and silver off,” Jenny says. “It doesn’t need treating.”
The wall on the left of the garden had to be reinstated and Jenny opted for London stock brick to integrate it with the existing walls and the house. Horizontal cedar trellis was used above, adding privacy but allowing light through.
“The lines make the garden feel bigger,” Jenny says. The cedar doesn’t need treating and will weather to a beautiful silvery tone.
Porcelain exterior paving was laid as a path and for the dining area. “It looks crisp and, because it’s inert, it doesn’t attract algae or dirt or stains,” Jenny says. The slabs have a textural, non-slip finish.
Find the right designer for your outdoor space in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
Find the right designer for your outdoor space in the Houzz Professionals Directory.
The dining table and chairs were located at the back of the garden, as this is the sunniest spot at the end of the day.
Jenny chose furniture with simple, contemporary lines. “It’s lightweight and can be left out all year, because it’s made from powder-coated metal,” she explains. The colours complement the green of the planting, and the pale finish blends it with the paving.
Tall planters beyond the table put the contents at seated eye level. “I wanted to maximise the eating space, so there wasn’t room for a proper border, but this was a way of bringing the planting up,” Jenny says. The pots contain low box, together with bedding plants such as pink trailing verbena.
Foliage and blooms are allowed to spread onto the path. “The geometry is softened by the planting,” Jenny says. “It’s quite informal and spills over the sides a little.”
Lavender, agapanthus and echinacea have all been used in the border here, with salvia in the foreground.
Bellevie table; benches, all Fermob.
Jenny chose furniture with simple, contemporary lines. “It’s lightweight and can be left out all year, because it’s made from powder-coated metal,” she explains. The colours complement the green of the planting, and the pale finish blends it with the paving.
Tall planters beyond the table put the contents at seated eye level. “I wanted to maximise the eating space, so there wasn’t room for a proper border, but this was a way of bringing the planting up,” Jenny says. The pots contain low box, together with bedding plants such as pink trailing verbena.
Foliage and blooms are allowed to spread onto the path. “The geometry is softened by the planting,” Jenny says. “It’s quite informal and spills over the sides a little.”
Lavender, agapanthus and echinacea have all been used in the border here, with salvia in the foreground.
Bellevie table; benches, all Fermob.
Charlotte and Harry were keen to have a pizza oven as part of their outdoor kitchen set-up. Jenny sourced a kit version, which then had to be sited, rendered and painted. She designed the units below, which add storage for the wood the pizza oven requires, as well as for accessories, gas canisters, and even garden tools.
The barbecue is a gas tabletop model, so it can be stowed underneath when it’s not in use.
London stock bricks match the outdoor kitchen to the garden walls and house, and the cupboard doors echo the cedar trellis that encloses the garden. Underfoot, decking makes a visual link to the deck just outside the house.
Mezzo 76 pizza oven kit, The Stone Bake Oven Company.
The barbecue is a gas tabletop model, so it can be stowed underneath when it’s not in use.
London stock bricks match the outdoor kitchen to the garden walls and house, and the cupboard doors echo the cedar trellis that encloses the garden. Underfoot, decking makes a visual link to the deck just outside the house.
Mezzo 76 pizza oven kit, The Stone Bake Oven Company.
Jenny chose a zinc worktop for the outdoor kitchen, so it could be used for food preparation.
Many of the plants were selected for their long flowering times to allow the couple to get maximum enjoyment from their space, including the Geranium Rozanne (seen in the foreground). “It flowers from June to November without stopping,” Jenny says.
The tall pink flowers are Lychnis coronaria, and the bed also includes salvia and lavender.
The tall pink flowers are Lychnis coronaria, and the bed also includes salvia and lavender.
The garden lacked life, colour and any appeal previously.
The revamped exterior is full of interest, and includes a path designed to go around the edge of the grass. “It allows a decent-size lawn, so you can get a blanket on it and, visually, it adds movement to the garden,” Jenny explains.
The cedar trellis allows views of the trees and plants in the neighbouring gardens from the seating area nearest to the house.
For the shadier side of the garden, Jenny picked plants that would thrive in the conditions, such as this Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’. “It has pale green leaves and the flowers are lime green before they turn white,” she says. As with the other plants Jenny selected, the shrub flowers for a lengthy period.
The designer opted for plenty of white blooms for this side of the garden to lighten it up, including the fragrant climber Trachelospermum jasminoides. In the foreground, rosemary is flanked by salvia and convolvulus. “It’s nice to have contrasting foliage texture as well as colour,” Jenny says.
The designer opted for plenty of white blooms for this side of the garden to lighten it up, including the fragrant climber Trachelospermum jasminoides. In the foreground, rosemary is flanked by salvia and convolvulus. “It’s nice to have contrasting foliage texture as well as colour,” Jenny says.
The seating area nearest to the house catches the sun early in the day and is the perfect spot for a morning coffee. On this sunnier side of the garden, Jenny planted an olive tree, which is uplit to create a night-time feature.
There’s also ambient lighting on the trellis, around the eating and cooking areas, and within the planting to extend the use of the garden.
Geranium Dreamland spills onto the path, with Pittosporum behind.
Bellevie sofa; coffee table, both Fermob.
Discover 10 stylish ways to light your garden.
There’s also ambient lighting on the trellis, around the eating and cooking areas, and within the planting to extend the use of the garden.
Geranium Dreamland spills onto the path, with Pittosporum behind.
Bellevie sofa; coffee table, both Fermob.
Discover 10 stylish ways to light your garden.
Rosemary, thyme, chives and oregano grown in a pot are to hand for outdoor cooking.
The outlook from the kitchen has been revolutionised by the garden design. “The table at the end is a destination, calling you outside,” Jenny says.
Tell us…
What do you like about this pretty, contemporary garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Tell us…
What do you like about this pretty, contemporary garden? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
This is superb, really simple but with great attention to detail and long lasting materials.
This is amazing - just my type of garden as I love clean sharp lines.
We are in the process (well when this virus departs our shores!) of having our garden made over. We've had a garden designer come up with some amazing plan so can't wait to get started now. But I'm always on the look out for new ideas too. We will be using frost proof, non slip porcelain tiles in different heights as our garden is on a slope and artificial grass also with different areas for sitting as the sun moves around.
Can someone tell me what the budget for a garden project like this would be? It looks very simple and easy to maintain.