Screen time
Disguising a neighbouring block of flats was the key requirement in this south London garden, designed by Studio Cullis
IN BRIEF
What Family garden with wildlife corridor, designed to peak in spring and autumn, and to screen the house from flats beyond.
Where London.
Size 19m x 10m.
Soil Loamy clay.
Climate Temperate, north-west facing garden.
Hardiness zone USDA 9.
Among the many benefits of urban living, privacy is rarely top of the list. Those lucky enough to have gardens often find themselves overlooked, with the all-too-frequent result that the space goes unused – it’s hard to relax if you feel observed. So it was at this project in Brockley, south London, where a block of flats to the rear looked directly on to the house and garden.
“The previous owners had done a ‘protest planting’ of sorts,” says George Cullis of Studio Cullis, who was commissioned to redesign the space. “Two 14m-high leylandii and an 8m bay tree did block out the flats very effectively, but they also made the garden dark, inhospitable – nothing would grow beneath the trees – and completely unusable as a family garden.” New owners Nick and Zoe agreed. “We wanted somewhere that would draw us out into the space while still providing a degree of privacy,” says Nick. A lawn and large terrace were key requirements, and there were some more unusual requests, too. “We wanted quite naturalistic, understated planting,” says Zoe. “And since we have a lot of family birthdays in spring and late summer/autumn, we decided these were the moments when we would like the garden to peak.”
Taking inspiration from both forest gardens and the small, urban gardens at the South London Gallery (designed by Fraser & Morris) and the Garden Museum (designed by Dan Pearson), George has created a garden that fulfils the brief admirably. To address the need for privacy, George has chosen deciduous trees with both beautiful blossom and late-season colour, as well as a relatively dense tracery of winter branches, as the backbone of the garden.
In a deep bed bordering the terrace are a pair of beautiful, multi-stemmed Amelanchier x lamarckii, which not only draw attention to the front of the garden but also frame the view of the lawn and planting beyond, bracketing it in delicate, white blossom in spring and rich, copper tones in autumn. To the rear, tall, mature cherry trees (Prunus avium ‘Plena’), whose leaves turn a kaleidoscope of reds later in the year, fulfil a similar role as the pre-existing leylandii but with a much lighter touch, also allowing other plants to establish beneath them. Now populated with Cornus kousa var. chinensis, Libertia chilensis, Dryopteris wallichiana and Nandina domestica, this area is designed to be left largely undisturbed. “A wildlife corridor was part of the planning requirements,” says George, “so this is a place for nature to do its thing.”
In contrast, the amelanchier bed close to the house – designed primarily for spring and autumn interest with snowdrops, daffodils, fritillaries, Gillenia trifoliata and Eurybia divaricata – is actively intended for human interaction. Slim gravel paths through the planting tempt you out and clumps of Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ and Nepeta racemosa ‘Walker’s Low’ are positioned to tickle your legs as you brush by. “At 3.6m, it’s a pretty deep bed,” says George, “but by positioning it close to the house and making you look through it, it makes the garden seem bigger.”
Summer interest comes chiefly from the side borders and their mix of flowering shrubs, grasses and perennials including Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’, Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ and Bistorta amplexicaulis ‘Blackfield’. Throughout the garden, George has been careful to choose sturdy plants that can withstand the inevitable stray balls from the children’s games.
Though the design is relatively formal and geometric, with a broad limestone patio providing ample space for entertaining, and with the steps down from the house acting as handy additional seating, the overall effect is fluid and unfussy. “I like my gardens to look as if they’ve grown up naturally,” says George, adding that where trees are intended as a focal point, he always likes to pick specimens that have been grown next to each other. “There’s a sense that they relate to one another,” he says.
For Nick and Zoe, the project has turned out better than they dared hope, enabling them to spend far more time in the garden than ever before. “The first thing we do in the morning is open the doors and come out here,” says Nick, marvelling at the amount of wildlife they see and how long the planting lasts. “For 11 months of the year it looks full and healthy – it’s a lovely bit of nature that really draws you in.”
USEFUL INFORMATION
Find out more about George’s work at studiocullis.com
Hard-working trees
“It’d be lovely if there were another tree for small gardens that was as hard-working as Amelanchier x lamarckii,” says George. “Though it can grow up to 8m high, I like to use multi-stemmed specimens, which are lower and slower growing, and create a lovely loose, sculptural form in the garden that can cast beautiful shadows on to a wall or terrace. It also offers an enormous amount of seasonal interest, from the copper-coloured emerging leaves and masses of white flowers in spring, via the scarlet, edible fruits in summer – much loved by the birds – to its rich-red colouration in autumn.
“Since it is so popular, a lot of nurseries offer this species so it is relatively easy to find a shape and size that suits. For this garden, I wanted trees that had a high-enough canopy to walk beneath, but not so high that they hid the cherry trees behind, when seen from the house. I also like their spreading, umbrella-like canopy, which casts a lovely dappled shade and can make for some beautiful shadow play on a wall or terrace. When the leaves fall in autumn, they make a striking contrast with the pale limestone paving below.”
KEY PLANTS
1 Euphorbia mellifera
A sturdy, dome-shaped shrub that can withstand the odd stray ball. Beautiful in rain when droplets sit like mercury on the leaves, it bears honey-scented flowers in spring. 2m x 2.5m. AGM*. RHS H3†.
2 Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’
This plant is used repeatedly throughout the garden, both for its long-lasting foliage and its pure white flowers, which light up shadier areas.A spreader, but easy to pull up. 1.25m x 1.2m. AGM*. RHS H7, USDA 4a-8b.
3 Bistorta amplexicaulis ‘Blackfield’
A perennial that’s as good for its foliage – neat clumps of heart-shaped leaves – as its deep-red flower spikes, which last from midsummer to mid-autumn. 75cm x 70cm. AGM. RHS H7.
4 Hydrangea quercifolia
The oak-leaved hydrangea has beautiful, cream-coloured, conical flowers in summer and as the flowers fade in autumn, the green leaves flush red and purple. 2.25m x 2m. RHS H5, USDA 5a-9b.
*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
†Hardiness ratings given where available.