Case study: Garden design in Newington Green, North London
Garden sizes: 32m2 and 20m2
Project value: £25,000
Garden aspects: WNW and ESE
Landscaper: Growing Gardens
Build completed: Autumn 2025
Our Newington Green client asked us to redesign their front and back gardens, transforming two unwelcoming courtyard-sized spaces into garden rooms for dining, entertaining, and off-kitchen outdoor cooking.
The front garden was previously overlooked by passing buses and neighbours, and offering an uninspiring view from the study. This garden was redesigned as a morning coffee and outdoor cooking space — perfectly suited to its east-facing aspect.
Existing shrubs were crown-lifted to become a feature rather than an eyesore, and a small tree (Magnolia grandiflora ‘Little Gem’) was added for privacy. A culinary herb border makes the most of the kitchen adjacency, and a BBQ will soon allow our client to cook for guests outside. Rounding out the space, a beehive-style composter adds a sculptural touch while managing kitchen and garden waste.
The back garden had been all but unusable: a rotten deck sat in the shadiest corner, a muddy lawn had given way to weeds, and a low boundary wall left the space exposed to a neighbouring car park. The redesign makes the most of the afternoon sun, with a dining patio and a separate lounging area, divided by a specimen strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo). Connecting the two zones, a path of clay pavers and gravel is interplanted with creeping thyme and coastal planting Star jasmine on trellising raises the boundary wall height to screen the car park, and is repeated on the house facade to frame windows and draw the building into the garden.
Throughout both gardens, planting was chosen for year-round colour and interest while remaining low maintenance — and crucially, safe for the dog, who has since made the most of the new sunny spots for her afternoon naps.
Our client says: 'Shaun was wonderful to work with. I have absolutely no knowledge or experience with gardening and he managed to draw the inspiration out and come up with exactly the vibe and style that I wanted. He also clearly understood my low maintenance requirement and designed accordingly. I actually enjoy being in the garden now, and it feels like another part of the home, another testament to Shaun’s ability to connect the interior design to the exterior vibe in the outdoor areas. He recommended and managed an amazing landscaper and personally oversaw big deliveries. I’m super happy with the result and just in time for the summer.’
