Two large separate spaces brought together to create one magical garden.
Location: Thornhill Square, Islington N1
Large size urban back garden 600 sq m
Consultation and Brief:
Thornhill Square is the largest square in Islington and all of the Victorian terraced houses are listed buildings.
The client owns two of the houses on the square and had opened the dividing wall between the gardens to make them jointly accessible. It had been redesigned and replanted twenty years previously. Retaining structures were collapsing and in desperate need of reconfiguration and renovation. The planting had become an expanse of matted vegetation and overall the garden was unused and neglected.
The client wanted to join the gardens into one space but also wanted them to be independent of one another if required. They requested we utilise as many of the existing materials as possible, redesign the planting of the beds and create a space that people wanted to spend time in.
Garden Design Implementation:
Access was through the house via the basement and the logistics of removing garden waste and bringing in new materials and equipment had to be carefully managed.
The first phase of this project was to clear the space, cut back the overgrown vegetation and access the integrity of existing structures. Once the gardens had been stripped, the remaining plants were itemised. The design team worked from old surveys that the client had. It is sometimes easier to start from scratch in a garden but as the design team like a challenge they soon absorbed themselves into finding practical solutions.
The results were a flowing, functional, unified space that worked well either separately or as one larger entertaining area. The final design was tailored to the client’s budget without compromising on the aesthetics of the garden.
Our design consisted of removing the existing step between the two gardens and creating a larger, level patio area. New beds were created and filled with mixed herbaceous planting to soften the hard landscaping. The old rotting, sleeper raised beds were removed and replaced with raised brick retaining beds that complimented the existing brickwork. The old paving to the rear of the garden was salvaged where possible, relayed and cleaned.
To add depth to the garden we created a pergola structure. This together with bespoke slatted screening gave the client privacy from the overlooking terraces in the neighbouring street. The original dividing wall that was hidden under the overgrown plants, became a feature in itself.
Materials:
Main patio areas laid with sandstone paving and edged with sandstone setts. New raised beds built from London yellow stock bricks. Softwood pergola painted black and larch slatted screening.
Planting:
Trees: Multi-stem Amelanchier
Shrubs: Sambucus nigra, Cotinus ‘Grace, Climbing rose, Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’, Hydrangea ‘Lanarth White,’ Hydrangea ‘Blushing Bride’
Grasses and Ferns: Anemanthele lessoniana, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, Miscanthus ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ Dryopteris Filix-mas, Dryopteris erythrosora
Perennials: Veronicastrum ‘Fascination’, Brunerra ‘Jack Frost’, Epimedium ‘Rubrum’, Tellima grandiflora, Alchemilla mollis, Astrantia ‘Roma’, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Paeonia ‘Karl Rosenfield’, Salvia ‘Caradonna’
Location: Thornhill Square, Islington N1
Large size urban back garden 600 sq m
Consultation and Brief:
Thornhill Square is the largest square in Islington and all of the Victorian terraced houses are listed buildings.
The client owns two of the houses on the square and had opened the dividing wall between the gardens to make them jointly accessible. It had been redesigned and replanted twenty years previously. Retaining structures were collapsing and in desperate need of reconfiguration and renovation. The planting had become an expanse of matted vegetation and overall the garden was unused and neglected.
The client wanted to join the gardens into one space but also wanted them to be independent of one another if required. They requested we utilise as many of the existing materials as possible, redesign the planting of the beds and create a space that people wanted to spend time in.
Garden Design Implementation:
Access was through the house via the basement and the logistics of removing garden waste and bringing in new materials and equipment had to be carefully managed.
The first phase of this project was to clear the space, cut back the overgrown vegetation and access the integrity of existing structures. Once the gardens had been stripped, the remaining plants were itemised. The design team worked from old surveys that the client had. It is sometimes easier to start from scratch in a garden but as the design team like a challenge they soon absorbed themselves into finding practical solutions.
The results were a flowing, functional, unified space that worked well either separately or as one larger entertaining area. The final design was tailored to the client’s budget without compromising on the aesthetics of the garden.
Our design consisted of removing the existing step between the two gardens and creating a larger, level patio area. New beds were created and filled with mixed herbaceous planting to soften the hard landscaping. The old rotting, sleeper raised beds were removed and replaced with raised brick retaining beds that complimented the existing brickwork. The old paving to the rear of the garden was salvaged where possible, relayed and cleaned.
To add depth to the garden we created a pergola structure. This together with bespoke slatted screening gave the client privacy from the overlooking terraces in the neighbouring street. The original dividing wall that was hidden under the overgrown plants, became a feature in itself.
Materials:
Main patio areas laid with sandstone paving and edged with sandstone setts. New raised beds built from London yellow stock bricks. Softwood pergola painted black and larch slatted screening.
Planting:
Trees: Multi-stem Amelanchier
Shrubs: Sambucus nigra, Cotinus ‘Grace, Climbing rose, Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’, Hydrangea ‘Lanarth White,’ Hydrangea ‘Blushing Bride’
Grasses and Ferns: Anemanthele lessoniana, Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’, Miscanthus ‘Kleine Silberspinne’ Dryopteris Filix-mas, Dryopteris erythrosora
Perennials: Veronicastrum ‘Fascination’, Brunerra ‘Jack Frost’, Epimedium ‘Rubrum’, Tellima grandiflora, Alchemilla mollis, Astrantia ‘Roma’, Geranium ‘Rozanne’, Paeonia ‘Karl Rosenfield’, Salvia ‘Caradonna’
“Brilliant, professional team. Kate redesigned the garden landscaping including patios, lawn, planting and unique features to an extremely high standard. Seb and the team were a pleasure to have around. Timely, professional and tidy. We are delighted with the results. Highly recommend!”
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