A small south-facing London garden that lacked style is reimagined as a beautiful outdoor entertaining space with a Mediterranean vibe. Calling in both design and landscaping professionals was key to achieving the dream.
Who lives here
Chris Seychell lives with his husband Ross and their two Boston terriers, Rocco and Saffy, in a Victorian terraced house in Hither Green, south-east London.
Before
‘The garden was perfectly functional but characterless. It’s in constant use by the dogs and us, so we needed to make the most of it as soon as we moved in. We added pots and plants, and also built a fence, all during lockdown,’ explains Chris.
The original garden was bland – a paved area completely devoid of character
What was the inspiration behind the new garden?
CS: Our time living in Barcelona, as well as our travels abroad, gave us ideas; we wanted to bring a piece of the Mediterranean home. The garden is south-facing, so we had to be strategic about the plants that would survive, which is why most of them are low-maintenance. It was key that we created an indoor/outdoor living space to link with our newly renovated kitchen, as it’s not the biggest garden, so by incorporating it into our interior scheme and extending the entertaining space, we’ve blurred the lines.
A neat built-in bench ties in beautifully with the slatted fencing behind
How did you start the project?
CS: Having put so much energy into the plans for the kitchen extension, the garden was a bit of an afterthought. With no back access – and the house about to become a building site – we decided it would be smart to get the garden landscaped at the same time. I have a good friend, David, who is a professional landscape designer, so I called on his services. From my lengthy brief, he created the initial concept while we worked through subsequent iterations together.
You decided to get professional help…
CS: Yes, I’m confident in my interior design skills, and although I knew what we wanted to achieve, designing a space outdoors is a different ball game. With their horticultural and design skills, Brachers Garden helped our vision come to life, while Greenways Landscape & Design turned it into a reality.
How did the whole design process take shape?
CS: The designer came up with raised bedding that takes inspiration from the Islamic star. It’s clever and beautiful as it allows for deep beds without creating boring straight borders that would have narrowed the central space. The slatted fencing gives a clean backdrop to the plants, while the wooden seating adds a natural element. Using black cladding on the house was inspired by yakisugi (the Japanese technique of preserving wood with fire). I’ve always loved this idea and this was a perfect opportunity to incorporate it.
Black cladding makes a smart contrast to the pale brickwork
Which element of the space is your favourite?
CS: Aside from our beautiful olive trees, it’s the fact that almost the whole garden can be seen from everywhere on the ground floor. It makes the outdoor space feel so intrinsically connected with the kitchen, and it’s the perfect entertaining area. There’s something magical about the feeling of calm you get by being surrounded by nature.
A bespoke wooden storage bench seat is ideal for storing garden tools
SOURCEBOOK
COST
- Design and landscaping £15,100
- Planting £2,500
- Patio slabs £1,800
- Bespoke Corten Step £750
- Pebbles and edging £350
- Paint and oils £150
- Lounge set £800
- Fencing £2,100
- Total = £23,550
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