Private
Garden
Highgate, London, N6
A new, multi level garden was required to complement a
major renovation for a family with two young boys and their
African tortoise in Highgate, north London.
he Brief was to create an
elegant, semi traditional,
symmetrical garden. The
design had to include direct
access from the garden via a
lower ground courtyard to an
indoor swimming pool in the
basement of the house.
Also on the wish list; a loggia
with kitchen for outside
leisure and entertaining,
a vivarium for the African
tortoise, a large lawn for
football, a hidden spot
for a trampoline and an
understated planting palette
restricted to mostly green and
white.
The elliptical lower pool
courtyard increases width
and is echoed in the lawn
shape. A symmetrical pair
of Italianate style staircases
with railings that echo the
internal staircase, lead up
from the courtyard to link
with the main terrace and
central steps; integrating the
courtyard with the garden and
central view.
Sawn, grey Scout Moor stone
was used in large units for the
terrace and as feature setts for
the lower courtyard, circles
and loggia terrace. Random
length ‘parquet’ style Scout
Both linear and curvilinear
geometry was used to anchor
the house to the landscape.
A central axis of symmetry
extends from the front door,
through the house to the main
garden steps, drawing the
eye to the rear of the garden.
A secondary axis is centered
on the Orangery/family room,
up a set of steps to a circular
inset with sundial down the
path to the loggia.
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Designer: Lynne Marcus Garden & Landscape Design
Architect: Charlton Brown
Landscape Contractor: The Garden Builders
Photography Jacek Wac , Matthew Gilbert & Tony Murray