Highgate Woods

A client project in Muswell Hill, North London, close to Highgate Wood. The concept design is agreed and the garden goes into build shortly. The images are design visuals.

The brief

A front garden that has to work hard: off-street parking for two cars, a path to the front door and somewhere for the bins, without the front of the house turning into a car park.

The design

The mood is soft and romantic. Delicate, see-through planting that is lush but resilient, with meandering, organic lines that slow you down on the way to the door.

The materials are muted and age gracefully: limestone pavers, oak setts, reclaimed oak beams, resin-bound gravel and corten steel edging. The bin store is corten too, with a living roof, and low downlights and drainage across the front finish it off.

The planting

Wild and romantic, with plenty of structure for wildlife and fragrance. Pleached Malus 'Evereste' and Phillyrea angustifolia give year-round structure, while Geum 'Mai Tai', Thalictrum, Digitalis parviflora, Euphorbia characias, Artemisia 'Coca Cola' and winter-scented Sarcococca bring colour, texture and scent through the seasons.

Services: Garden Design.