Project details
BLDA Architects
Interior Designer:
Finchatton
Landscape Designer:
Bartholomew Landscaping
Construction and Project Management:
Bartholomew Landscaping
Main contractors:
LTS
Client:
Private
Chelsea Project
This private garden was transformed into a refined sequence of terraces, planting and open lawn, carefully arranged around significant changes in level. The design creates a strong connection with the house while providing distinct spaces for entertaining, relaxing and enjoying the garden throughout the year.
The Concept
Views from the principal rooms were carefully considered, with the garden designed to unfold through a series of steps, landings and planted platforms. Natural stone, warm timber and bronze-inlay detail form a sophisticated architectural framework, softened by mature flowering climbers, clipped evergreens and seasonal planting.
The lower terrace provides an intimate outdoor living area, while the upper lawn introduces openness and calm. A contemporary sculpture, positioned against a dense evergreen backdrop, creates a strong focal point and draws the eye through the garden.
The Details
The main terrace is framed by raised planting beds and a vertical timber screen, creating privacy and a sense of enclosure. A bespoke bird’s nest stainless steel fireplace sits as a main feature within the terrace surrounded by sculptural furniture and layered planting, that establish a comfortable setting for both everyday use and entertaining.
A defining feature of the scheme is the carefully resolved connection between the staircase and water feature. A Textured metal finish channels integrated in the steps, allowing water, planting and architecture to form one integrated composition. The sound and reflection of the water enrich the journey between levels, while bespoke bronze planters and fine metal handrails reinforce the garden’s contemporary character.
At the upper level, the lawn is surrounded by mature trees, clipped hedging and informal borders. A gravel path provides a softer route through the garden, while the planting combines evergreen structure with flowering shrubs, perennials and trailing foliage for year-round interest.
The completed garden is a cohesive and highly detailed landscape in which architecture, water, planting and sculpture work together to create a distinctive private retreat.
