Small Garden Design in London Fields

THE BRIEF

This small London Fields garden came with an unusual challenge.

The client lived in the top-floor flat, while his garden sat beyond the garden belonging to the ground-floor property. Simply getting outside meant walking around his neighbour’s space to reach his own.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the garden wasn’t getting much use.

The brief was to change that. We wanted to create somewhere that gave him a real reason to make the journey downstairs. A garden for relaxing on his own, cooking and entertaining friends, and spending evenings outside.

There were already several beautiful mature Rhus trees in the garden, so rather than starting again, we made those trees the foundation of the new landscape.

OUR APPROACH

A small garden that offers a lot, without feeling crowded.

A pergola creates a relaxed outdoor lounge, with oak chairs and a projector screen for evenings outside. A long bench and dining table provide space for friends to gather, while a cooking area with a pizza oven makes the garden somewhere people can spend an entire evening.

Elsewhere, tucked amongst the planting, a hammock creates a quieter retreat.

Each space has a purpose, but they’re connected by the planting and natural materials so the garden still feels like one landscape.

Oak pergola outdoor lounge surrounded by planting

WORKING WITH WHAT WAS THERE

The mature Rhus trees were allowed to lead the design.

The mature Rhus trees were some of the best things about the existing garden, so we let them shape everything around them.

Oak, natural stone plank paving and oak decking sit comfortably beneath them, while the planting was kept loose and naturalistic.

The surrounding landscape also became part of the garden. Planting was chosen to connect visually with the nearby wildlife parks, allowing the boundaries of this relatively small space to feel less obvious.

Mature Rhus tree above planting, stone paving and log store

Oak cooking table with pizza oven beside stone plank paving

Hammock tucked among naturalistic planting against timber slatted fencing

PLANTING & MATERIALS

Paving designed to soften over time.

At the centre of the garden is a species-rich lawn crossed by natural stone plank paving.

Rather than creating hard, sharply defined paths, Mind-your-own-business and creeping thyme were encouraged to grow between and around the paving, gradually softening its edges.

The hard landscaping was designed to remain porous, while the surrounding planting brings movement and seasonal change.

Over time, the intention is for the distinction between planting and paving to become less obvious, rather than more.

Species-rich lawn and stone plank paving leading to the oak pergola

AFTER DARK

This garden was always intended to work just as well in the evening.

Lighting was kept simple and warm, with festoon lights woven through the trees and around the pergola rather than flooding the garden with artificial light.

It creates a relaxed atmosphere for dinner, drinks or watching something outside with friends.

And when the temperature drops, the fire bowl gives everyone a reason to stay outside a little longer.

Oak decking and bench seating beneath the pergola

THE OUTCOME

The biggest change isn’t how the garden looks. It’s that it gets used.

What had been an underwhelming space at the end of an awkward journey is now somewhere the client chooses to spend his time.

It can be a quiet place to lie in the hammock, somewhere to cook and eat, an outdoor cinema, or a garden full of friends around the fire.

And despite everything packed into a relatively small space, the mature trees, natural materials and loose planting keep it feeling like a garden rather than a collection of outdoor features.

It’s now used throughout the year, including in the depths of winter when the fire bowl takes centre stage.

GALLERY

Moments from the project.

Small London Fields garden with planting, dining space and cooking area

Loose naturalistic planting with purple flower spikes against timber fencing

Cooking area with pizza oven beneath mature Rhus trees

There really is no way to put into words how magical my garden is. I couldn’t be happier.

Private Client London Fields

ALL CASE STUDIES

START A PROJECT

Could your garden become somewhere you want to be?

Tell us how you’d love to use your outdoor space — and we’ll help you make the most of every corner.