Blenheim Crescent

Catherine was asked to design the back garden of a charming newly restored terraced house in Notting Hill. Collaborating with Mark Lutyens they overcame level and drainage challenges (due to the basement having been dug out beneath the garden) to create a vibrant relaxed space to eat and entertain in. The view from the kitchen was greened up at the lower level by planting a soft waving line of golden stemmed bamboo in bespoke rusty corten steel planters.

Steps were lined with a selection of terracotta pots planted with colourful seasonal flowers leading one up to the ground level, where a table chairs and barbeque made it perfect for entertaining in the summer. The trellis was planted with wisteria, roses and frothy purple Solanum ‘Glasnevin’ which chimed with the purple Alliums and the wonderful rich plum of Lupinus ‘Masterpiece’. There was an exotic feel to the planting with the Euphorbia x pasteurii, the magenta Geranium palmatum, mounds of lush evergreen Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’ and standard olive trees for good structure all year round.  Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Limelight’ with their large greenish white flowers completed the scheme giving a long flowering season and softening the existing evergreens beyond the railings.