Nestled beside the Heath in Hampstead, this small garden on Well Road presented the challenge of transforming a neglected lower-ground courtyard into a seamless extension of the home. We opened up the space by removing a pier to create a direct visual and physical connection to the garden, and set back the retaining wall so that planting would sit at eye level, lowering the garden horizon and bringing greenery into view from indoors.

A curved bench and planters, crafted from locally machined British limestone, combine a variety of textures from the same stone. Vertical interest comes from the use of broken-face limestone and upright timber fence panels, subtly contrasting with the horizontal sweep of the seating.
Underfoot, matching limestone is paired with raked gravel to create a permeable surface, encouraging moss to establish naturally between stones.

The planting scheme, developed in collaboration with DB Landscape Management, draws inspiration from the clients’ travels to Hawaii and Japan, as well as their proximity to Hampstead Heath. The result is a compact yet richly layered outdoor space, perfect for cooking, entertaining, and everyday living.

CREDITS
Photography - Louisa Tratalos
Contractor - Waltons Construction
Planting - dB Landscape Management
Stone - Britannicus Stone

FURNISHINGS
Cushions - Colours of Arley
Furniture - Faye Toogood