CONTEMPORARY COURTYARD

Hand-me-down and self-seeded plants, affordable design and salvaged treasures lie behind the success of a garden that embodies its owners’ vision of inside-outside living

- NICOLA STOCKEN

It takes but a few steps through Ian and Armi Maddison’s front door to be riveted by what lies behind the traditional Victorian brick façade. ‘When you first enter the house, there’s a wow factor from the panoramic view of the garden. It’s modern, secluded and totally unexpected,’ explains Armi, an artist. The floor-to-ceiling windows opening on three sides ensure that the garden is a natural extension to the house.

Designed by the award-winning architect Kim Dreyer, the house was built just five years ago and replaces a Victorian cottage – apart from the front façade – in a quiet street in the town of East Molesey, Surrey. ‘The cottage had been empty for four years,’ recalls Armi. ‘We needed a lot of creative vision to see past what was there, and to imagine the potential.’

The mature, small-leaved Japanese acer was the saving grace and became a beautiful centerpiece. ‘The Acer provided a very obvious starting point, and gave us the idea of a raised bed, bordered by French oak railway sleepers,’ explains Armi.