A Garden for Everyday Living
- Firepit
- Garden studio
- No Lawn
- Date
- Location
- Kentish Town
- Size
- 88m2
- Duration
- 10 weeks
A contemporary family garden in Kentish Town, bringing the house and garden cabin together through natural materials, layered planting and inviting spaces for outdoor entertaining.
The most successful gardens don’t simply extend a home; they change the way it’s lived in. They create opportunities for slower mornings, long summer evenings with friends and family, and a closer connection to the outdoors.
That was the ambition for this south-facing garden in Kentish Town. The clients wanted to strengthen the relationship between their home and a new garden cabin, making the most of the views from both the house and the cabin while creating distinct spaces for entertaining, relaxation and family life. The result is a contemporary garden that balances open, sociable areas with more intimate spaces, bringing a sense of cohesion to the landscape.
Design
The design centres on a natural connection between the house and garden cabin, with carefully framed views and a sequence of spaces that encourage movement through the garden. Open areas outside the house and on the upper terrace offer versatile zones for moving garden furniture around, allowing outdoor dining and gatherings to adapt as needed. Surrounding these flexible spaces, generous, layered planting weaves through the paved areas and unites the entire garden.
Changes in level help define the different areas without interrupting the flow of the space. Stepping up from the main patio outside the house brings you onto a self-binding gravel terrace—an inviting area designed for outdoor dining, games such as boules, and relaxed gatherings. A series of sculptural boulders is dotted around this space, adding natural texture and contrast against the gravel surface and the planting.
Towards the cabin, a more intimate nook is created for relaxed seating. Tucked in the corner of the garden away from the main house, a fire pit creates a warm, welcoming atmosphere on cooler evenings—a perfect spot for quiet late-night chats with friends and family. Together, these elements establish a garden that feels considered yet relaxed, balancing contemporary geometry with a more naturalistic character.
Build
Delivered over ten weeks, the build brought together a restrained palette of natural materials, chosen to complement the contemporary design while allowing the planting to take centre stage.
Mandalay limestone paving forms the main patio, paired with warm clay pavers, self-binding gravel and carefully detailed iroko timber elements. Powder-coated steel edging provides definition between surfaces and planting, reinforcing the garden’s clean geometric lines. Natural boulders, supplied by Allgreen, introduce contrast to the more precise architectural finishes. Resolving drainage and surface water run-off was an important consideration, particularly around the main terrace and changes in level. The delicate limestone paving also required careful handling during installation to achieve a precise finish.
The bespoke garden cabin was delivered in collaboration with long-standing partners James Gray Garden Buildings, establishing a strong visual and functional connection between the house and the garden beyond.
Lighting was integrated throughout the garden to illuminate feature trees, highlight the boulders and guide movement through the space after dark. The completed scheme combines practical detailing with a warm evening atmosphere, extending the enjoyment of the garden beyond daylight hours.
Planting
The planting scheme softens the garden’s contemporary structure, combining evergreen form with seasonal colour, contrasting textures and movement. A Mediterranean-inspired palette responds to the garden’s sunny, south-facing aspect, while a varied selection of trees, shrubs and perennials provides interest throughout the year. Multi-stem birch, magnolia and Osmanthus establish the garden’s structural framework, introducing height, character and year-round presence. These are complemented by evergreen shrubs, including Pittosporum and compact pine, which maintain definition and structure between seasons.
Drifts of lavender, nepeta, achillea and verbena bring a relaxed, naturalistic quality to the planting, while ornamental grasses introduce movement and texture. Crocosmia, sedum and other flowering perennials provide additional seasonal interest, creating a layered scheme that works in harmony with the surrounding brickwork, gravel and natural stone. Carefully positioned planting also helps soften the boundaries and frame views through the garden, creating a sense of enclosure without compromising the openness of the entertaining spaces. As the trees and perennials mature, the landscape will become increasingly immersive, bringing together the different zones in a garden designed to be enjoyed throughout the seasons.
