Belsize Park Garden

An unusual story and garden unfolds through a close collaboration with the client.

A theatrical scene unfolds through the double doors out onto the Sorbus Aria tree gazebo.
A theatrical scene unfolds through the double doors out onto the Sorbus Aria tree gazebo.
Stage 1

The Brief

The client’s first words to me as we walked out into the garden were: “Can you recreate ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’?” This was a golden opportunity due to my background in Theatre Design, and henceforth the collaboration began.

As an integral part of the design the client wanted silver and maroon planting, a waterfall and a number of entertaining spaces. Night time was key as he worked long hours and enjoyed the garden mainly from dusk onwards.

Stage 2

Design and Build

As with any design there will always be limitations that the site dictates, in this garden it was a sunken Anderson shelter that would have added significantly to the cost if we removed it. As it turned out we were able to use it to our advantage, and it became the base for our waterfall, also creating a change in level in the garden adding a much-needed third dimension.

Key to the design working was fluidity of movement through the different areas, harmonised by the palette of planting. The design incorporates an avenue of pleached Pyrus Chanticleer leading to a large mirrored arch with a slate urn water feature. From this point the path turns right up to a wilder Bacchanalian styled area with wall plaques and chaise longue, then descends down past a waterfall to another circular seating area sounded by Sorbus Aria curved into an arbour, before it finally steps onto the main semi circular patio that mirrors the curved house wall, oh and did I mention the BBQ.

The trees have been trained to create a unusual canopy for the slate patio, that sits in front of the water feature.
The trees have been trained to create a unusual canopy for the slate patio, that sits in front of the water feature.
An avenue of pleached Pyrus, leads you to the mirrored arch and water feature.
An avenue of pleached Pyrus, leads you to the mirrored arch and water feature.
Stage 3

Finished Project

The finished ‘dream’ is a seamless journey through an enchanting garden, with the very restrained palette of colours in both soft and hard landscape materials unifying the space.

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A welcoming seating area under an arch made of trained Sorbus to enjoy the morning sun in this Belsize Park garden.
The water feature has been built on a slope using slate pieces. It is visible from everywhere in this Belsize Park garden and from the house. The eclectic planting around it helps to make it disappear beneath the foliage.
Some shade is provided by the trained deciduous trees above the slate patio, forming a cosy dinning area. A water feature in the back emits a nice constant sound of falling water in the distance in this Belsize Park garden.
An avenue of pleached trees frames the gravel path to the mirror, where a slate water jar has been transformed into a bespoke water feature.
A stainless steel built-in barbecue has been installed by the landscapers in a brick wall, under a slatted trellis, painted light grey. A climbing vine is covering it.
Close up view of the planting around the water feature, blending in nicely with the existing boundaries. The eclectic mix is densely planted, achieving a wilder look in this Belsize Park garden.
The planting overhangs the gravel path, with some nice leaves and texture and a few flowers coming through the seasons. The Belsize Park garden is all about balance in colours and simplicity of materials.
The view from the top floor shows the whole Belsize Park garden, with the pleached trees, gravel path, slate patio and the water feature, cascading down. The planting scheme plays with soft tones of grey, green and pink, blending in with the surrounding landscape.
Detail of the planting with some key plants such as Pyrus ‘Chanticleer’, Achillea, Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’, Phormium tenax intermingled to create a wilder effect. The colours are soft and blend in with the existing brick walls and the hard landscaping.
A brick arch has been built by the landscapers to fit in a mirror to reflect the whole Belsize Park garden, starting with a bespoke water feature installed on black slate chips and gravel.
Planting combination detail in this grey and purple Belsize Park garden with Actaea simplex ‘Atropurpurea’, Phormium tenax, Euphorbia amygdaloides var. robbiae and Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’.
The above view show how dense the canopy of the Sorbus is, tying in nicely together to form this green living roof when seated on the slate circular patio.
The herbaceous planting at the front overlooks the slate paving seating area. Some Sorbus are tied together to form an arch above the table and chairs in this Belsize Park garden, London.
The empty Belsize Park garden before London Garden Designer designed and built it.
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Photos by Marianne Majerus