Suburban Garden, Croydon
A Croydon garden redesigned to open onto its woodland view, with a gravel path sweeping round a circular lawn.
The garden
This was a mature urban garden that backs onto woodland and needed a complete redesign. Inspired by the surrounding landscape, the new design connects the garden to the woodland view beyond with generous planting and materials that work together.
Naomi created three layouts to begin with. The chosen design has an informal gravel path sweeping around a generous lawn, leading to a secluded seating area surrounded by perennial and shrub borders inspired by the woodland backdrop. Larger feature trees are picked out with lighting, and a contemporary, semi-circular terrace wraps around to the front of the house.
A large dining terrace, with plenty of space to entertain, is softened by abundant planting that brings colour and interest through the year. Formal planting beds mix evergreens and perennials, and pockets of planting follow the curves of the paths. Larger shrubs and multi-stem trees give form and structure through the winter. The garden also has a water feature.
The circular lawn sweeps around the garden and ends with a multi-stem Acer palmatum. Magnolia, crab apple and Pyrus add height to the borders and act as focal points without taking attention from the woodland view.
We asked Naomi Ferrett-Cohen Garden Design to redesign both our front and back gardens in 2021 and choosing Naomi and Lucy was one of the best decisions we could have made. From our very first meeting, they were warm, approachable and thoroughly professional. We were not entirely sure what we wanted, but Naomi patiently guided us through the possibilities, clearly explaining the pros and cons and recommending thoughtful solutions that suited our needs and complemented our home perfectly. Naomi and Lucy quickly produced three detailed design options, with drawings comprehensive enough to use for tendering. They also recommended trusted hard landscapers and once the landscaping was complete, their team sourced and planted everything beautifully. The finished rear garden exceeded our expectations. It includes a beautifully designed lawn, curved borders, a water feature, dining area, new shed, lighting and electrics, together with a wonderful mix of plants that brings colour and interest throughout the year. We were kept fully informed at every stage and always involved when unforeseen issues arose. What has impressed us just as much as the design itself is the exceptional aftercare. More than four years later, Naomi still keeps in touch to ensure the garden is developing as planned and generously offers helpful advice whenever we have a concern. We could not be happier with the result. Naomi is talented, knowledgeable and an absolute pleasure to work with and we would recommend Naomi Ferrett-Cohen Garden Design without hesitation to anyone looking to transform their outdoor space.
See the garden
The design
An illustration of the design. This is not a photograph.
During the build
The lawn, gravel path and new curved terrace take shape, with plants laid out ready to go in.
Thinking about your own garden?
Tell Naomi what you have in mind. She reads every enquiry herself.
- RHS Chelsea Silver-Gilt
- London College of Garden Design
