Garden Tour: A Spacious City Plot With a Secret Garden Feel
Hidden behind walls, this is a magical space by day and night, with distinct areas, mature trees and exciting planting
This garden in west London had always been cherished by its owners. “They really loved it,” Peter Reader of Peter Reader Landscapes says. “It’s a strange triangular shape and quite quirky. It has areas of woodland, too – unexpected in London – and they loved the atmosphere in it.” It hadn’t been touched for 15 years, though, so when he was asked to redesign it, he was confronted with overgrown shrubs, tired planting, uneven paths and underused corners.
The brief was to bring it all up to date. Specifically, that meant regenerating a woodland area, redesigning the main living spaces and, while respecting the garden’s unique character and trees, overhauling all the planting. One of the owners was actively involved, too, adding in fun ideas along the way, so that the finished garden is not only beautiful, but highly personal, too.
The brief was to bring it all up to date. Specifically, that meant regenerating a woodland area, redesigning the main living spaces and, while respecting the garden’s unique character and trees, overhauling all the planting. One of the owners was actively involved, too, adding in fun ideas along the way, so that the finished garden is not only beautiful, but highly personal, too.
Linking the patio to all the other outdoor space was another key aim, so Peter designed a set of broad steps connecting it with the wider garden.
Raised planters form part of the retaining wall and are filled with soft, colourful plants, including lavender ‘Hidcote’, Verbena bonariensis and Astrantia major ‘Claret’. A floating wooden bench seat made of western red cedar runs between them.
Raised planters form part of the retaining wall and are filled with soft, colourful plants, including lavender ‘Hidcote’, Verbena bonariensis and Astrantia major ‘Claret’. A floating wooden bench seat made of western red cedar runs between them.
The same limestone paving flows from the patio area around the front of the house.
Jura Grey limestone, London Stone.
Jura Grey limestone, London Stone.
These are the original steps connecting the kitchen and main patio. “The owners spend quite a lot of time in the kitchen, but, with the old design, it was dark in there and you couldn’t see out into the garden,” Peter says. “We wanted the two spaces to flow together, so you see the garden from the kitchen and feel drawn out into it.”
The patio was reshaped and sunken, so it connected more directly to the house. “It was dropped by 600mm,” Peter says. “It was a big dig out. You’re never quite sure when you put the first spade in what you’re going to find. We did come across an electricity cable and had to stop work and have that rerouted.”
The team created new stairs down to the kitchen (just seen on the far right), which are 3.3m wide, significantly bigger than the originals, which were only 900mm. “This allowed light down into the house,” Peter says. “We also rejigged the planting here and at the front to let in more light. There were two olive trees before, but we took one away, as it was blocking light.”
A simple wooden trellis is mounted on the top of the wall to boost privacy. “The wall is about 1.7m and this added another 300mm,” Peter says. “There was Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) already growing there, which will eventually cover it.” The planting in front includes the grass Hakonechloa macra and Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
A modern half pergola, made bespoke in steel and powder-coated, adds character to this area. “Even though the pergola is open, it does make the space feel more enclosed and private,” Peter says. “This wall backs onto the pavement of the street outside, so the pergola adds a feeling of security and height.”
Outdoor kitchen, Grillo.
The team created new stairs down to the kitchen (just seen on the far right), which are 3.3m wide, significantly bigger than the originals, which were only 900mm. “This allowed light down into the house,” Peter says. “We also rejigged the planting here and at the front to let in more light. There were two olive trees before, but we took one away, as it was blocking light.”
A simple wooden trellis is mounted on the top of the wall to boost privacy. “The wall is about 1.7m and this added another 300mm,” Peter says. “There was Trachelospermum jasminoides (star jasmine) already growing there, which will eventually cover it.” The planting in front includes the grass Hakonechloa macra and Geranium ‘Azure Rush’
A modern half pergola, made bespoke in steel and powder-coated, adds character to this area. “Even though the pergola is open, it does make the space feel more enclosed and private,” Peter says. “This wall backs onto the pavement of the street outside, so the pergola adds a feeling of security and height.”
Outdoor kitchen, Grillo.
There’s an Acer ‘Sango-kaku’ in the far corner, and the white flowers are Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Zebra’. The purple flowers in the foreground are Verbena bonariensis.
Before the redesign, a play area covered in wood chips filled one corner of the garden. “There was a rather dilapidated tree house and a shed, too,” Peter says. “It was a messy area, which we wanted to regenerate as somewhere for both the teenage kids and the parents to enjoy.”
Now, a cedar-clad garden room fills this awkward tip of the triangular plot. Alongside is a bespoke firepit and benches. If you’re installing a firepit or outdoor burner, you may want to consider the type of fuel you’ll burn, especially in built-up areas. Wood, if used, should be kiln-dried, but this model is capable of burning smokeless fuel and is designed so it draws air into the base to maximise the complete burn, rather than emitting lots of smoke.
The garden room creates a attractive focal point across the lawn from the house. “The teenagers use it as a chill-out space. It has sofas and their gaming kit in there,” Peter says.
In addition to the bench seating, there’s also a dining area here (just glimpsed on the right). “We wanted to make it more interesting than just a big deck,” Peter says. “There are lovely curves throughout the garden and a path that snakes its way through the woodland. The firepit and bench are circular, too, to echo those curves. In the middle of the deck, there’s a section of rectangular paving, which zones and highlights the seating and dining space, then that circle opens out and embraces the firepit.”
The paving around the firepit is porcelain, but matches the limestone used elsewhere. “Porcelain was a better, more stain-resistant choice for this space,” Peter says. “As it’s under the trees, the paving is more at risk of staining from bird poo and fallen leaves.” The paving surrounding the firepit also performs a safety role. “The deck is a composite material, so it might melt if it got any burning embers on it,” he says.
Florence Grey porcelain, London Stone. Golden Oak composite decking, Millboard.
The garden room creates a attractive focal point across the lawn from the house. “The teenagers use it as a chill-out space. It has sofas and their gaming kit in there,” Peter says.
In addition to the bench seating, there’s also a dining area here (just glimpsed on the right). “We wanted to make it more interesting than just a big deck,” Peter says. “There are lovely curves throughout the garden and a path that snakes its way through the woodland. The firepit and bench are circular, too, to echo those curves. In the middle of the deck, there’s a section of rectangular paving, which zones and highlights the seating and dining space, then that circle opens out and embraces the firepit.”
The paving around the firepit is porcelain, but matches the limestone used elsewhere. “Porcelain was a better, more stain-resistant choice for this space,” Peter says. “As it’s under the trees, the paving is more at risk of staining from bird poo and fallen leaves.” The paving surrounding the firepit also performs a safety role. “The deck is a composite material, so it might melt if it got any burning embers on it,” he says.
Florence Grey porcelain, London Stone. Golden Oak composite decking, Millboard.
“One of the charms of this garden is that it feels as if it’s been here a long time,” Peter says. “It has so many unique features.”
One such feature was a section of parterres, but these were not in good shape, so Peter rejuvenated them. “Keeping the parterres stayed true to that feeling of history, rather than making it all completely new,” he says. “The garden as a whole has the feeling of a loved and lived-in family space.”
One such feature was a section of parterres, but these were not in good shape, so Peter rejuvenated them. “Keeping the parterres stayed true to that feeling of history, rather than making it all completely new,” he says. “The garden as a whole has the feeling of a loved and lived-in family space.”
Near the house there’s another patch of woodland, with a garden pod tucked alongside. “This was the owner’s idea,” Peter says. “We had planned some seating on the edge of the woodland, but then he decided he’d like to be in the middle of it not on a patio behind. Now he can sit inside, surrounded by planting, but also with views to the garden beyond.”
Small oval garden pod, Cuckooland.
Small oval garden pod, Cuckooland.
Regenerating the woodland walk, which runs through one of the side beds of the garden, was another key element of this redesign. This is how it looked before work started.
The woodland walk was relaid and the dense canopies lifted and thinned to create a dappled light journey. “I trimmed, pruned, shaped and thinned lots of shrubs,” Peter says. “We cleared out the dwarf bamboo, which had gone everywhere, and added lots of woodland perennials and bulbs in a semi-random pattern.” These include snowdrops, bluebells, cyclamen and alliums.
“The path was crazy paving, which had all lifted because of the tree roots growing beneath,” he continues. “I redesigned it with a more snaking style and a gravel surface that can cope with that root movement.”
Peter preserved some of the shrubs and added new species, including Pittosporum, Fatsia japonica and Pieris japonica to create a new, mid-height understorey beneath the tree canopy. This provides a good backdrop to the foreground perennial planting, which includes Astrantia, Pulmonaria, geraniums and Hakonechloa macra grass. This mix of planting also screens the walls. “This area was really important in boosting the biodiversity of the garden,” he says.
“The path was crazy paving, which had all lifted because of the tree roots growing beneath,” he continues. “I redesigned it with a more snaking style and a gravel surface that can cope with that root movement.”
Peter preserved some of the shrubs and added new species, including Pittosporum, Fatsia japonica and Pieris japonica to create a new, mid-height understorey beneath the tree canopy. This provides a good backdrop to the foreground perennial planting, which includes Astrantia, Pulmonaria, geraniums and Hakonechloa macra grass. This mix of planting also screens the walls. “This area was really important in boosting the biodiversity of the garden,” he says.
Lighting gives the outdoor space a whole new life after dark. “One of the lovely things about the garden is that there’s a day garden and a night garden,” Peter says, “and because of all the different places and walkways, it all feels really magical and like a completely different garden by night.”
If you’re installing garden lighting, take inspiration from this downwards-pointing set-up
beneath the cedar benches – this approach reduces light pollution and tends to be more wildlife-friendly than uplighting.
Plants here include Tulbaghia ‘Purple Eye’, lavender ‘Hidcote’, and Verbena bonariensis ‘Lollipop’.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
If you’re installing garden lighting, take inspiration from this downwards-pointing set-up
beneath the cedar benches – this approach reduces light pollution and tends to be more wildlife-friendly than uplighting.
Plants here include Tulbaghia ‘Purple Eye’, lavender ‘Hidcote’, and Verbena bonariensis ‘Lollipop’.
More: How to Design Garden Lighting That’s Good for You and Wildlife
Lighting gives the woodland an enchanted feel and draws you towards the patio. “There are path lights along the walkway,” Peter says.
The garden is used around the clock now, and is a hit with visitors. “From the street, you don’t get any feel of what’s behind the wall on the other side,” Peter says. “When people come in, they’re gobsmacked.”
The owners, unsurprisingly, love it too, commenting, “We were right to put our faith and trust in Peter and are super happy with our new garden.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element in this unique city garden? Let us know in the Comments.
The owners, unsurprisingly, love it too, commenting, “We were right to put our faith and trust in Peter and are super happy with our new garden.”
Tell us…
What’s your favourite element in this unique city garden? Let us know in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple and their two teenage children
Location Chiswick, west London
Property A Georgian semi-detached house
Garden size 750 sq m
Designer Peter Reader of Peter Reader Landscapes
Construction Karat Landscapes
Photos by Athina Kontos
Redesigning the patio area at the side of the house was a priority, so that it was more open and connected better with the kitchen.
It’s now a hub for entertaining, with an outdoor kitchen and wood oven installed on one wall. Here and throughout the garden, the planting was redesigned and now delivers variety and interest throughout the year.