Small Shady Garden for a Film Lover
Honor Oak Park, London
My client for this project came to me with a conundrum. She wanted to be able to hang a screen for projecting films outdoors, combined with a space for relaxing with friends and family, and a space to accommodate her existing dining table and chairs for 4, and she could not think how to arrange all of that in the small space she had. In addition, the side return concrete was not in great condition and was unpleasant to look at from the main garden space. As a working single mum, my client needed a low maintenance space that she could retreat to and relax after a long day teaching small children.
Thankfully, she also hated mowing the lawn, so we were able to remove that and replace it with some recycled composite decking and lots of shade loving planting. Dining for 4 with the existing table is positioned next to the shed to catch the sunniest spot in the garden. With festoon lights strung over it using the canopy of the existing Pyracantha, this cosy new area is seen over new planting beds to create a great view from the kitchen’s picture window, with the other furniture tucked out of view. Another area for lounge furniture is set on what was the path, and opposite this area is a blank fence for hanging the all important projector screen. Stepping stone pavers divide the planting beds both for access to the projector screen position and for ease of maintenance of the beds. A large bespoke timber planter was placed to take up much of the concrete side return, which now provides a great view both from the internal dining room window and from the main garden space.
Solving the spatial puzzle was important of course, but it’s the planting in a subtle white, pale blue and pale pink palette that really turns the space into a relaxing retreat. There’s plenty of evergreen interest, always important in such a small space, from a Fatsia, Mahonias, ferns, Brunnera and hellebores. That’s interspersed with long flowering and airy seasonal interest from white daffodils in the spring, through to Tiarella, Geraniums, Astrantia and Luzula nivea, then white Anemones and a couple of relocated Hydrangea for late summer interest. Climbers, with autumn colour provided by a Parthenocissus henryana along the rear fence line and Clematis armandii to scent the new trellis behind the sitting area in spring complete the scene.
“I've always wanted a space outside that felt like a sanctuary, somewhere where I could come and relax after work, watch films with friends, and enjoy time with my family. It’s exactly what I had hoped for - it’s a lovely calm retreat. Catriona was very good at understanding what would fit with my lifestyle, personality, and home. Although it’s a small garden, it really needed a creative approach to fit all the different things that I wanted into it. The whole process was easy and stress-free, with just the right number of options so it never felt overwhelming. It’s become a kind of wellness space for us, even helping my dad’s recovery from a bout of Covid, and it’s full of lovely things that pop up through the different seasons. Best of all, it’s quite low maintenance and it’s just great to be able to get out into nature without a huge amount of effort. I think that’s always therapeutic.”
Andrea Rose
