This garden was installed over a basement extension in Clapham. Basement extensions present a number of challenges when designing and installing a natural looking garden, not least of which is a lack of planting depth between the roof of the basement, and garden level. In this case everything had to be planted around the edges.

Unsurprisingly for London, excavations revealed heavy clay, so the decision was taken to plant fastigiate hornbeams, as they can tolerate these conditions better than beech. Soil was improved through the addition of organic matter, and additional land drainage was installed around the rootballs. Lawn turf was not possible due to the lack of planting depth, so, reluctantly, an artificial lawn was laid.

A mass planting of long flowering hydrangea ‘Annabelle’, preceded by tulips, retained behind a box hedge completed the planting. Dutch clay pavers were laid over the top of the extension in the middle. A built in BBQ and a highly bespoke bike store were also commissioned.