Set behind a grand seaside Victorian terrace, this west-facing garden was designed for a young creative family who had swapped East London for the Kent coast. Their brief was to create a relaxed family garden that captured the feeling of summer holidays in Greece, while providing generous spaces for family and entertaining friends.

The natural slope of the site became the organising principle of the design. Broad limestone terraces and hardwood decking step gently through the garden, creating an easy, intuitive journey from the house while making the most of the evening sun.

Chalcot Garden Design chose warm tones for the limestone paving and hardwood decking to give sun-kissed vibes, while Mediterranean-inspired planting, chosen to thrive in the coastal climate provide a light, airy texture.  Pollinator-friendly perennials spill over the hard landscaping, creating a garden that feels both abundant and relaxed.

A Hampstead front garden for 8 lateral apartments set in a 19th century Victorian villa.  After falling in to disrepair, the garden and main staircase to the front door desperately needed restoring.   Chalcot designed a scheme with quality materials to produce a more appropriate face to the street, reflecting the character and grandeur of the building.  The design has lifted the whole facade, improved circulation and accessibility and introduced attractive, low-maintenance planting that will enhance the setting throughout the year.  An individually designed cedar bin house with green roof acts as a piece of furniture to elevate the front further.

The clients, an architect and an interior designer, wanted a space in which to relax, entertain and play the occasional game of Bocce. Views out to the Chesham Bois was a main consideration for the new garden. The clients both like Modernist architecture and have plans to update the house so the inspiration for the garden design was the principles of the Modernist movement, and a sculpture by the mid-century metal artist Ernesto Riva.

The brief was to create a shared courtyard which two separate families enjoy..

As an admirer of modernist architecture I chose to create two houses with simple lines which both overlook a natural swimming pond. As the central feature of the garden it creates a physical barrier but still allows the length of the space to be enjoyed from both sides. The pond has straight lines but bends to emulate the lines of a river: the water is kept clear with natural filtration including aquatic plants in a gravel bed. A deck with privacy screen overhangs the pool for sunbathing and both houses have private terraces which enjoy views over the pool. The rectilinear design of the garden takes its inspiration from the houses and uses principles from the modernist era, exploring the abstract and using raw materials of concrete and timber. Raised beds are rendered white and the planting is minimalist with architectural species..