Chisholm Road, Richmond

Our brief for this double-fronted detached property in Richmond was to transform the long, narrow garden into a generous space for a large energetic family to enjoy the outdoors and entertain guests.

Situated directly next to Richmond Park, the garden was designed to capture the feeling of space which the historic landscape provided and to make the most of the large expanses of sky.

Planting was chosen to provide a green oasis in the summer with a big hit of colour in the spring followed by some late autumnal interest. Existing Fastigiate Hornbeam trees were professionally pruned to give them shape and maintain privacy from neighbouring properties, while small multi-stem flowering trees were added to provide more depth – including winter flowering cherry, an Amelanchier x lamarckii, Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ and a Fastigiate Prunus ‘Amanogawa’. Climbers were also introduced to the brick walls including Trachelospermum jasminoides and Roses for flowers and scent.

With an eye on sustainability, above-ground rainwater storage was incorporated to provide valuable water for irrigation in the drier months, and permeable pathways of clay pavers set in a herringbone pattern were used to ensure efficient drainage for the wetter months while adding texture, pattern and dimension to the space. Elsewhere, in the seating area, elegant grey porcelain tiles provide a striking contrast to the surrounding brickwork.

A private oasis in the heart of London, the finished garden incorporates a new garden building alongside a plunge pool and sunken trampoline developed in collaboration with Granit architects, Precision Pools and HCL Landscaping.