GREEN LIGHT

The redesign of this garden in a Victorian terrace in southwest London needed to work with its shady aspect

- SARAH WILSON

Contrasting foliage textures and the use of dappled light to animate the space were the main considerations when redesigning this shady garden. The family have lived in the house for 20 years and had decided it was time to rethink the garden’s existing look. With the children now grown and flown, the owners wanted to redesign the space to reflect their new lifestyle as empty nesters. ‘They were very engaged in the design process from start to finish,’ says designer Jane Brockbank.

The project began with the redesign of the existing swimming pool and the addition of a contemporary modular garden studio by Ecospace. ‘The challenge was working out how to integrate these new elements, while at the same time creating a more inviting space,’ explains Jane. The intention was to position the new studio in the rear section of the garden, a shady space dominated by trees. ‘First we had to make a decision about which trees to retain and which to lose. The garden is also shaded by two enormous London plane trees, which have tree preservation orders. We had to tread very lightly.’ In addition, the Tudor rear wall formed part of Henry VIII’s estate and is also listed.