Patio of the Week: A Beautiful Walled English Garden
See how a designer rescued an overgrown backyard in London using elegant plantings and a clever new layout
Sarah Alcroft
August 22, 2020
Houzz UK Editorial Team
The beautiful boundary walls of this garden are an integral part of the timeless look and peaceful feel of the space, but for many years they were entirely obscured by rampant greenery. The couple that owns the garden has lived here for 25 years and they love plants, but work kept them busy over the years, so pruning fell by the wayside.
When they called in designer Joanne Bernstein to help them connect their new addition to the outside area, she took drastic measures to bring out the beauty of the space. “I cleared almost everything to allow it to become a walled garden again,” she says.
When they called in designer Joanne Bernstein to help them connect their new addition to the outside area, she took drastic measures to bring out the beauty of the space. “I cleared almost everything to allow it to become a walled garden again,” she says.
“After” photos by Sarah Cuttle
Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A homeopath and an art historian
Location: Belsize Park, north London
Size: Backyard is about 56 feet (17 meters) long and 49 feet (15 meters) wide
Designer: Joanne Bernstein of Joanne Bernstein Garden Design
The owners of this period home were building an extension on the ground floor to accommodate an office and library next to the garage. It meant losing half of their existing terrace, plus they weren’t sure how to link both elements harmoniously to the garden. They sought professional help.
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Yard at a Glance
Who lives here: A homeopath and an art historian
Location: Belsize Park, north London
Size: Backyard is about 56 feet (17 meters) long and 49 feet (15 meters) wide
Designer: Joanne Bernstein of Joanne Bernstein Garden Design
The owners of this period home were building an extension on the ground floor to accommodate an office and library next to the garage. It meant losing half of their existing terrace, plus they weren’t sure how to link both elements harmoniously to the garden. They sought professional help.
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Before: This “before” image shows the back of the house as work was beginning, with the garage in the white section and the space that now holds the library stacked with building materials.
Bernstein was tasked with creating a visual tie to unite the two sides of the property, as well as providing access to the garden from three points: the garage, the library and the second floor balcony on the flat roof above the library.
The couple also asked her to include a lawn where their grandchildren could play, as well as various seating areas with different views.
Bernstein was tasked with creating a visual tie to unite the two sides of the property, as well as providing access to the garden from three points: the garage, the library and the second floor balcony on the flat roof above the library.
The couple also asked her to include a lawn where their grandchildren could play, as well as various seating areas with different views.
After: This “after” image shows the back of the house now, with the garage at the far end and sliding glass doors leading to the library in the foreground. “The garage is important, as it’s an integral part of the house, taking up almost half its width, and it’s where all the garden kit is stored,” Bernstein says.
“The two sets of stairs were a device to connect the two halves, so the house as a whole felt unified, rather than two separate entities,” she says.
A large built-in planter separates the steps and brings lush planting close to the house. Bernstein also salvaged two plants from the old garden and placed them in pots by the glazed doors — a maple (Acer sp.), foreground, and a camellia.
“The two sets of stairs were a device to connect the two halves, so the house as a whole felt unified, rather than two separate entities,” she says.
A large built-in planter separates the steps and brings lush planting close to the house. Bernstein also salvaged two plants from the old garden and placed them in pots by the glazed doors — a maple (Acer sp.), foreground, and a camellia.
The patio and steps are laid with porcelain, which was chosen to create a seamless indoor-outdoor look. “It was used for the floor of the library as well,” Bernstein says.
She chose a very pale pink for the walls of this planter and the ones on either side, which is then echoed in the delicate purple-and-pink planting. “The owners love color, and this is a lovely soft pink,” she says. “I have to admit it was the second attempt. The first color we chose, even though it seemed a beautiful soft pink on the swatch, ended up looking like bubble gum. That was a really good lesson to learn: Go even paler than you think. This was the second attempt and it was spot-on.”
Porcelain paving: Ceramiche Caesar; planter painted in pale pink: Keim Mineral Paints
She chose a very pale pink for the walls of this planter and the ones on either side, which is then echoed in the delicate purple-and-pink planting. “The owners love color, and this is a lovely soft pink,” she says. “I have to admit it was the second attempt. The first color we chose, even though it seemed a beautiful soft pink on the swatch, ended up looking like bubble gum. That was a really good lesson to learn: Go even paler than you think. This was the second attempt and it was spot-on.”
Porcelain paving: Ceramiche Caesar; planter painted in pale pink: Keim Mineral Paints
Lights illuminate the steps. “I’ve also included some to highlight the hedging, and a couple on either side of the white bench on the back wall to show the whole depth of the garden,” Bernstein says.
Before: This image shows the area before the library extension was built, giving a sense of how overgrown the garden had become.
Before: Here’s the shell of the library extension, showing the flat roof that’s now a terrace outside the second floor living room.
To link the terrace to the garden, the architect had proposed stairs that would have obscured some of the view from the library. Bernstein suggested an alternative: a staircase fitted into the gap between the extension and the boundary wall. You can see the bottom steps here before they were paved.
To link the terrace to the garden, the architect had proposed stairs that would have obscured some of the view from the library. Bernstein suggested an alternative: a staircase fitted into the gap between the extension and the boundary wall. You can see the bottom steps here before they were paved.
After: The neat staircase has left the view of the garden from the library unobscured.
Bernstein created different areas, or rooms, in the garden using hedging, as you can see in this view from the second floor terrace. “It can be difficult working with a square space, and the rooms were a way of creating discrete spaces within that,” she says.
The small trees growing against the back wall are espaliered pears, apples and a cherry, trained on wires fixed to the bricks. “The owner really wanted fruit trees,” Bernstein says. “Because it’s a north-facing garden, that back wall gets the most sun, so we’re using the heat from the wall to help with the trees.”
How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
The small trees growing against the back wall are espaliered pears, apples and a cherry, trained on wires fixed to the bricks. “The owner really wanted fruit trees,” Bernstein says. “Because it’s a north-facing garden, that back wall gets the most sun, so we’re using the heat from the wall to help with the trees.”
How to Grow 10 Favorite Fruit Trees at Home
The paving stones in the secluded seating area are spaced out amid a periwinkle (Vinca minor) ground cover to add to the lush feel of the garden.
The linden trees (Tilia sp.) along this wall are original — some of just a handful of plants that remained when the space was cleared. “They create a wonderful screen to hide the houses on the other side,” Bernstein says.
The pompom grasses seen here and in the planters at the front of the lawn are Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra). The tall purple flowers are verbena (Verbena bonariensis). “I didn’t actually plant these,” Bernstein says. “They self-seeded, possibly from a neighbor’s garden, so they were a happy coincidence.”
She suggested these purple outdoor chairs, which tone beautifully with the planting.
Purple lounge chairs: Fermob
The linden trees (Tilia sp.) along this wall are original — some of just a handful of plants that remained when the space was cleared. “They create a wonderful screen to hide the houses on the other side,” Bernstein says.
The pompom grasses seen here and in the planters at the front of the lawn are Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra). The tall purple flowers are verbena (Verbena bonariensis). “I didn’t actually plant these,” Bernstein says. “They self-seeded, possibly from a neighbor’s garden, so they were a happy coincidence.”
She suggested these purple outdoor chairs, which tone beautifully with the planting.
Purple lounge chairs: Fermob
On the right is a big block of planting, which can be enjoyed from all the seating areas, so anyone out here can feel immersed in the lush greenery.
The restricted palette of pinks, purples and white adds to the elegant feel of the garden. Plants include pink roses, masterwort (Astrantia sp.), purple geraniums, meadow-rue (Thalictrum sp.), blue irises, bellflower (Campanula sp.), phlox, hydrangeas, ‘Jack Frost’ large-leaf brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’) and ferns, all with a backdrop of hornbeam and yew hedging.
The restricted palette of pinks, purples and white adds to the elegant feel of the garden. Plants include pink roses, masterwort (Astrantia sp.), purple geraniums, meadow-rue (Thalictrum sp.), blue irises, bellflower (Campanula sp.), phlox, hydrangeas, ‘Jack Frost’ large-leaf brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’) and ferns, all with a backdrop of hornbeam and yew hedging.
The pretty pink spires of mountain fleece (Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Rosea’) work beautifully with the big white hydrangea blooms.
The owners love the new garden. “A few visitors have said, ‘Oh my goodness, you have a walled garden — we didn’t know,’” Bernstein says. Now that the builders have finally left, the couple can relax and enjoy the space.
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What a beautiful transformation one of the best gardens I have seen !
Just re-visiting this page and reading these comments... EVERY SINGLE ONE positive and glowing. Can only echo Diane Bromley (above) - 'One of the best gardens I have seen!'
It really is a very charming and relaxing outdoor space ...