Highgate Garden

In this urban garden, contemporary materials are balanced with soft, herbaceous planting and traditional architecture.

The view from the raised deck across to the rear patio with Corten feature panels and water feature.
The view from the raised deck across to the rear patio with Corten feature panels and water feature.
Stage 1

The Brief

This garden was situated in a conservation area and was particularly exposed to the surrounding buildings, due to its slightly elevated position. The clients contacted London Garden Designer in December 2011, after seeing some of my work in House and Garden magazine.

Their brief was quite open, although one specific request was for a garden lodge to be used as a gym and art room. This was something that would require planning permission so we set this in motion whilst designing the rest of the garden.

Stage 2

Design and Build

The ground floor of the house opens out onto a deck that is one metre above lawn level. The latter slopes across its width by 1.5m, proving a challenge to integrate seamlessly into the overall design. It is important that as you walk into the kitchen and lounge, there is an immediate focal point that distracts from the surrounding buildings.

We designed a patio area with Cor-ten steel panels, and fire pit that bring you across a small pool, and onto a long bench that transports you into a Silver Birch tree copse with an under storey of woodland plants. From here, there are hidden stepping-stones that lead directly to the garden studio.

The water feature leads you across the timber bench, through the woodland copse of Birch trees to the outdoor studio
The water feature leads you across the timber bench, through the woodland copse of Birch trees to the outdoor studio
Detail of the coping stones around the water feature and the hardwood seat that also acts as a boardwalk through to the woodland planting area.
Detail of the coping stones around the water feature and the hardwood seat that also acts as a boardwalk through to the woodland planting area.
Stage 3

Finished Project

In this garden the materials and details played an important role in unifying the design. The clients were keen to embrace new materials and ideas, and Cor-ten steel was key here. The water feature also became a strong focal point that lined up directly with the doors from the kitchen, providing a sense of calm and repose.

We return to this garden once a year to meet with the client and discuss planting additions or improvements should they be needed, which are then undertaken by the maintenance team.

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The view from the studio is lush with birch trees, white stems and clipped topiary balls, attracting the eye to the seating area at the back of this Highgate garden.
A view through the woodland planting, towards the seating area. The tree trunks create a strong focal point, leading to the pleached hornbeam at the back of the garden. The copper ferns look great with the corten steel in this Highgate garden.
Some contemporary furniture compliment the corten features and fire bowl. The warm colours of the beige sandstone and rusted steel contrast with the green pleached trees and with the clear blue water feature in this Highgate garden.
Detail of the water feature coping and stepping stone, hardwood boardwalk and some Betula trunks, Dryopteris ferns and Box clipped balls.
The corten steel firebowl has been installed over a gravel chanel to ensure that the paving doesn’t get any rust stains. The nice detail is continued under the feature panels all around the lounge area.
The white trunks of the birch trees remind us of the rendered planters, making our eye bounce in the garden in order to make it look bigger.
The birch trees cast some light shadows on the lawn when the sun is out. The big parasol over the seating area can be opened when needed and compliment the chosen furniture.
The gravel path along a tall yew hedge leads to the outdoor gym. An impressive existing tree has been kept and became a feature in the overall design of this Highgate garden.
Spring flowers contrasting nicely with the lawn and hedges in this Highgate garden.
The woodland planting in this Highgate garden with some tall Betula ‘Jaquemontii’, evergreen Dryopteris x erythrosora, Anemanthele lessoniana and some white Anemones to flower at the end of the summer can be enjoyed from the hardwood boardwalk.
A view of the Highgate garden showing the comfortable seating area, borded by a bespoke water feature and some corten steel panels. Some tall pleached trees provide intimacy from the neighbours.
The sandstone and corten steps in the lawn follow the existing slope in this Highgate garden to lead to the cosy outdoor lounge.
The stepping stone above the water is a great invite to walk through the woodland planting, on the hardwood boardwalk, when going to the outdoor gym in this Highgate garden.
The view from the studio is lush with birch trees, white stems and clipped topiary balls, attracting the eye to the seating area at the back of this Highgate garden.
View of this garden in Highgate, before it has been re designed by London Garden Designer.
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Photos by Marianne Majerus

Testimonial

"In 2011 we had our garden designed by Sara Jane Rothwell from London Garden Design. She came up with a very clear plan, and presented it in 3D. We decided to go ahead with the project and she worked together with Ed Belderbos to build the garden. SaraJane kept a weekly check on the works. She chose every tree, and planted all the plants. The end-result is a beautiful garden, with year round colour and very interesting planting. Also the garden really turned out as promised. We are very happy with our garden; it is a real joy to see and sit/live in every day."

Residents of Highgate Garden