Almond Tree Garden
Forest Hill, London
The Brief
I'd worked with this house before, extending and refurbishing it for another owner back in 2010. These new owners were very happy with their house and initially came to me to ask about a garage refurbishment. After finding out that I’d since become a garden designer, they asked me to make their garden feel just as good as their house.
The Design
We took out the tall, dark Leylandii hedge and the lawn, and lowered the rear fence to borrow the view of the trees in the nature reserve behind, instantly making this medium-sized London garden feel much bigger. The beautiful old almond tree stayed and became the centrepiece of the new layout.
Everything on the brief found a home without crowding the space: dining, BBQ, herbs and vegetables sit close to the house, with the furniture tucked to one side so the view of the planting from the windows stays clear. A curved bench catches the morning sun and a fire pit circle catches the last of the evening light allowing sitting spots in sun or shade throughout the day.
Now
The garden changes colour through the seasons, and in the evening a subtle lighting scheme gives it a soft glow. All lighting is downward facing and on a timer, so the wildlife in the nature reserve behind still benefits from dark skies. It's the kind of garden that looks different every time you gaze out at it, and beckons you out to sit and enjoy it.
"I knew I wanted the garden to be mine - I wanted it to be a garden, not grass. And we wanted to enjoy it. We'd lived in California, where you're outside a lot, and we wanted that outdoor living back.
The process was way more thorough than I expected. I knew engaging someone to do the planning and the work would be more robust than doing it ourselves, but it surpassed my expectations completely - a specific drawing for the fence and wall, the construction detailing, the lighting, the paving, the planting. There's so much more to it than you'd think. And the landscapers are the best people we've had work on our house, ever.
I loved having options. It was fun to see the whole plan laid out in its entirety. The 3D renderings were especially helpful.
I think the concern when you consider, am I going to pay someone to do this, or am I going to try and do this on my own is that you want it to look polished. I never dreamed I could have that little pond, which we so enjoy. And the fire ring - reusing stones from our own driveway - I love that. It's the surprise of it all pulling together so nicely when there are so many elements. That's what I'd have been too afraid to do on my own, and it just looks effortless.
It's much more of a destination now. We actually use the outside and enjoy it - there's more places to use, it’s bigger than it was even though it’s got more stuff in it. It’s stunning - every time we have friends round, they're just... it's so nice, day and night, whereas before we didn't really go out there at night at all. I love wandering about the little paths you created. I also like to see what what’s going to pop up and how it’s going to look at a different time of the year.
The herb garden is incredible. It's just covered in bees and butterflies. I haven't seen a caterpillar since I was three years old and now I’ve seen two different types – you forget!
I'd recommend doing your garden to anyone. It's the sort of thing that's the last thing you want to spend money on — but it's probably made the most difference to how we live."
Will & Laura Cutler
