John Gilbert

This is a well-proportioned suburban plot backing on to mature woodland. The brief was to create a family garden in a traditional style and we used the generous space to create a decent sized lawn and a large paved area in reclaimed York stone. Both side fences had to be replaced and these will very quickly be colonised by a range of climbers, including Clematis, honeysuckle, Solanum (potato vine), rose, Campsis (trumpet vine), and Trachelospermum (star jasmine).

This picture, taken only three months after planting, shows how quickly the herbaceous perennials we planted are settling in and claiming their space.

The garden is north-facing, very dry towards the far end  and very moist nearer the house. Careful  planning was necessary to make sure that all the plants would be happy in their respective places and provide a range of interest throughout the year. Robust plants requiring a minimum of maintenance were used.

Not all gardens require major work to bring them back to life. In this small town garden Nature had run away with things but some careful pruning, judicious replanting and the installation of  a new lawn made it a desirable space again. The addition of a small paved area with an attractive stone bench completed the picture.

The same garden before work began

This was the scene that greeted me on my first visit to this town garden: builders renovating the house had taken it over and destroyed it! A design was drawn up and a planting scheme devised to make the most of the plot’s sunny aspect. As soon as the builders had taken away their cement-mixer two small trees and a range of flowering shrubs and herbaceous perennials were planted. The ‘after’ pictures below were taken only 18 months later, showing how quickly a new garden can be established.

This garden shows what a stylish and striking space can be created within a very small area. The focus is the white rendered, pierced wall behind which is a dense hedge of black-stemmed bamboos. At night the ‘window’ in the wall is illuminated by a concealed uplighter and the raised wooden deck is marked out with dimmable decklights.

The ‘finish’ of all hard surfaces used here is of very high quality. The fencing is bespoke, designed to create a smooth, seamless boundary. The planting is chosen to look good all year round and need a minimum of maintenance.

The main design aim here was to disguise the rectangular shape of the plot and provide a low-maintenance setting for some strong, colourful planting. It was also important to connect the garden to the wooded area behind the rear fence, thus ‘borrowing’ the landscape beyond. Many of the existing plants were of high quality and these were incorporated into the plan. The physical structure of the garden, however, was poor: most of the boundaries had to be rebuilt and the hard surfaces were not in good condition. The new fences have been planted with a range of climbers which, in time, will cover them.

The uneven stone patio was taken up, relaid on a sound base and edged with dark brick, creating a generous area for relaxing and entertaining. Carefully matched new stone was introduced to extend the paving down the side of the kitchen extension (see below). If this often neglected area is well planted and properly integrated into the garden in this way the effect can be dramatic: the garden feels larger and more much under control!

This town garden involved substantial excavation in order to make the basement lightwell large enough for secluded outdoor use – breakfast or mid-morning coffee at a cafe-style table, for example.

Further al fresco dining is possible on the next level which is itself about 75cm lower than the main body of the garden. An additional design challenge was to reconcile the access from the rear door of the house with this changed level.

As a result of this landscaping more light was allowed in through the newly upgraded patio doors. The paving is of Indian sandstone and the bricks are London stocks, carefully chosen to match the house. The planting was carried out by the client who is a keen gardener.

This urban garden was designed specifically for relaxing and gently entertaining friends. The sandstone circle and the paths which approach it mean that the garden is accessible and inviting all year round. The high density of planting, however, prevents the hard surfaces dominating the main view of the space which is from a first- floor room. The planting itself is designed to provide colour and foliage interest throughout the year. The table and chairs are made of teak and there is a second, bistro-style set of metal table and chairs tucked away in the far corner.

Roof gardens add a whole new dimension to urban living and even the smallest spaces can be exploited to advantage. This London penthouse has a larger area at the front which faces south and a smaller, narrower, north-facing one at the back.

It is really important to get the choice of plants right when you are creating gardens several floors up. Tough specimens are required to withstand the wind and it is a good idea, even when automatic irrigation is installed as it is here, to select plants that don’t dry out too easily.

Here the range of plants was chosen to provide colour and interest all year round and to have relatively low maintenance needs. The planters are of painted wood and galvanised steel .

The larger terrace, above, provides a wonderful space for outdoor entertaining and relaxing in the sun. The smaller, shadier, area (below) is perfect for a quiet breakfast or morning coffee – and, see the planters in the foreground, for growing salads and vegetables!

The brief for this garden was to create an oasis in the city with an eastern flavour and a dedicated space for meditation. I based the wooden pavilion on traditional Balinese ‘bales’ and used ‘exotics’ such as bamboo, banana and palms as well as more traditional planting.

In this town garden the emphasis was on clean, simple lines with strong, mixed planting around the boundaries. A low-maintenance garden which will look good all year round.