The Site:

A detached house on a South-west facing plot in Hampstead, North London. The house sits at the back of the plot, with the land sloping down steeply to the road. The garden is on two levels, with a lawn and shrubbery at the same level as the garages at the top of the driveway, and then steps up to the house and upper terrace. There is also a rectangular strip of garden down the South-east side of the house.

The Brief:

• Phase 1: To create a more welcoming and better lit entrance route between the top of the driveway and the front door of the house. Also, to replace the thin and mossy lawn to the S-E with an attractively paved and planted seating area.
• Phase 2: To replace the poorly detailed concrete paving and rickety wire mesh balustrade on the terrace around the house, and to replant beds adjoining house and terrace.

Notes:

The existing route up to the front door was via a flight of mean concrete steps which hugged the boundary fence before turning sharply towards the house. Our solution was to create a flight of York stone steps curving in a quarter-circle between high retaining walls with heavily planted raised beds on both sides. A trellis arch overhead links the new trellis balustrade on the main terrace with the smaller garden area to the South-East.

The Budget:

Approximately £55,000 (including design fees and VAT).