Clever ideas for city gardens

For city dwellers, even a small front garden can be a huge selling point when buying a house. A small garden of any stature can be a blessing and provide sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life - or at the moment, from the tedium of lockdown. Whether it's just big enough for a table and chairs surrounded by a few outdoor plant pots, or you have space to plant a kitchen garden or flowerbed, there are plenty of ways to maximise your urban jungle. Why not learn how to make a compost heap and grow some fruit and vegetables at home? Even those without a proper garden might be able to carve out a little green space on a roof terrace or balcony for some pretty plant pots, (and there are even garden design apps out there to help you plan. From lush planting to the best decking ideas, seating areas and pretty planters, our gallery of city gardens has you covered.
Inspiration for the idyllic city garden
- Paul Massey1/64
At the home of artist Phoebe Dickinson, the antique metal table was found in Tetbury. A mirror on the back wall reflects the light and makes the space feel larger.
- Christoper Horwood2/64
The stylish garden at Lucy Williams' west London house is modern, chic and spacious, a true oasis in a bustling city. With sparing yet comfortable furniture and easier-to-maintain plantings (most of which will remain green even during a cold winter), the garden is a space of year-round calm.
- Rachel Warne3/64
Filled with peonies, foxgloves and a mass of roses, the romantic walled garden of this Spitalfields townhouse was sensitively created by young designer Miria Harris for Ben Adler and his late wife Pat Llewellyn. She built raised beds to reduce the visual impact of the high boundary walls, laid paths in Vande Moortel Belgian brick (a contemporary choice with a timeless quality) and incorporated several antique ornaments, including a 14th-century stone font.
- Paul Massey4/64
In a London flat by Ebba Thott of Sigmar, double steel doors leading to the decking were designed by Ebba to give access from the main corridor. The small garden has wooden decking and is large enough for an outdoor dining table – all thanks to an excellent use of space.
- 5/64
Artist and maker Bridie Hall lives in a delightful north London house, which benefits from a sliver of garden. Classic flagstones have been used to pave it and support Bridie's bistro table and plethora of potted plants – ideal for an outdoor respite.
- Alex James6/64
The tiny courtyard at the home of the interior designer Helen Green (featured in the May 2012 issue of House & Garden) comprises of simple but elegant touches: a trellis of roses, a feature stone water plinth and plants potted in a variety of vessels, from wooden crates to wicker baskets and pewter milk pails. It is paved with traditional bricks in a basket weave pattern - the grouting is gently mossed over, softening the lines.
- Michael Sinclair7/64
In the back garden of Shalini Misra's north London house, generous timber decking sits outside the french windows, and a metal spiral staircase connects the terrace and the upper-ground-floor deck. The dining table and chairs are from Chic Teak.
- Eva Nemeth8/64
The relaxed second terrace of the garden designer Emily Erlam's terraced Georgian house uses pale gravel to bring light to an area sheltered by a mature crab apple. Simple, comfortable furniture is nestled against a wall of Trachelospermum jasminoides and a clipped structural planting of box, Ilex crenata and Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ in terracotta pots.
- Andrew Montgomery9/64
The garden designer Marcus Barnett's small urban garden is used as an extension to the family house. The slate-clad terrace, which flows seamlessly from the kitchen. The terrace is surrounded by borders containing soft-textured herbaceous plants and grasses, with box spheres and hummocks for structure.
- Anson Smart10/64
Behind this house in Sydney designed by Arent&Pyke, an open seating area offers impressive waterside views. The decking is made of blackbutt timber and the furniture is a mix of mid-century designs by Thonet and contemporary pieces from Italian brand Paola Lenti.
- Benjamin Edwards11/64
Designed by Charles Harman, the garden at interior designer Emma Sims-Hilditch's London townhouse features a Neptune dining table and custom bench. Cushions are in a mix of fabrics from Christopher Farr Cloth.
- Paul Massey12/64
Florist Paul Hawkins has created a comfortable country cottage in town at his Chelsea house, filling it with his signature sophisticated arrangements for the festive season. Whilst Paul did not have space for a full garden, however, he nevertheless has added the perfect amount of greenery by way of geranium plants and other shrubs out front for a verdant entrance.
- Paul Massey13/64
Butter Wakefield designed the garden in this crisp London townhouse. In the garden, white gravel and lime chippings are flanked by paths of London brick, with a small terrace created from reclaimed cobblestones. Small bushes and shrubbery make for a verdant space, too, as do the potted plants that line the upper balcony.
- Paul Massey14/64
The search for a London pied-à-terre brought Ben Pentreath’s clients unexpectedly to this Georgian house, which he has reconfigured and decorated in his layered signature style. The house's garden features a steel-framed conservatory by Serres d’Antan, the large Georgian cupboard from Alexander von Westenholz holding gardening equipment. The perfect half-in, half-out approach to gardening (and a marvellous way to dine ‘al fresco’, even on cold or rainy days).
- Eva Nemeth15/64
In the middle of noisy, vibrant Brixton, Daisy Garnett has made a city garden that lures you outside and enfolds you in a kind of flower-filled heaven. Created over the past 10 years, it has evolved and grown in parallel with Daisy’s own interest in gardening.
- Alexander James16/64
A Victorian villa was given a meticulous rethink by architectural design studio De Rosee Sa, resulting in the exciting reinvention of a south London family home. The bold rear extension opens out onto the garden redesigned by Miria Harris. A paved seating area next to the house is separated by borders from the lawn.
- Eva Nemeth17/64
Purple spires of Verbascum phoeniceum ‘Violetta’, ‘Munstead’ lavender, crimson tufted flowerheads of Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’ and apricot orange Geum ‘Totally Tangerine’ energise the space of Emily Erlam's London garden. The relaxed second terrace, where pale gravel brings light to the area sheltered by a mature crab apple. Simple, comfortable furniture is nestled against a wall of Trachelospermum jasminoides and a clipped structural planting of box, Ilex crenata and Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Golf Ball’ in terracotta pots.
- Simon Upton18/64
A steel staircase by Agnes Jones swoops into the garden of this house designed by Nicky Haslam and Studio QD. This city garden features a range of textures, with evergreen planting, soft borders, a stretch of decking and some rather unusual patio and stone flooring too, as well as lots of art.
- Owen Gale19/64
This small London garden was designed by Piers Beeching, who used a pretty bench as a focal point and added an abundance of potted plants for colour and protection from neighbouring gardens. By using plants of varying height, Piers has created a sense of scale in the space.
- Michael Sinclair20/64
The garden of this richly-layered Kensington house transformed by Todhunter Earle was designed by Tania Compton. The space is covered in timber decking, with plant pots around the edges and a small pool in the middle.
- Ngoc Minh Ngo21/64
'I am averse to polite town gardens,’ explains Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, the designer of this Kensington garden he created six years ago for its artist owner. ‘I don’t want lots of box edging and formality – I like designing spaces with a sense of fun.’
- Rachael Smith22/64
This view from Louise Jones' garden back towards her house shows us just how a west London home can have all the charm and comfort of an English country cottage.
- Michael Sinclair23/64
Lush greenery can transform an urban space into a verdant jungle, as seen in this verdant garden in south London. Plant lots of grasses and shrubs for the full effect.
- Eva Nemeth24/64
An expert in turning the townhouse gardens of Bruges into exquisite green spaces, Piet Blanckaert has used topiary and box clipped into soft domes and finials to blur the lines of this L-shaped space. The main building is a historic townhouse, parts of which date back to the 16th century, while the other is a modern, glass-fronted building housing a swimming pool. The two areas are quite different in feel because of the contrasting styles of architecture, but they needed to work together. ‘The connecting point is a covered terrace with an outdoor fireplace,’ says Piet. ‘From there, you can see into both parts of the garden.’
- Eva Nemeth25/64
In the same Bruges garden, a narrow canal in the garden reflects vegetation and sky, edged by a serpentine hedge of cloud-pruned box. It creates an illusion of space in the small courtyard. Hummocks of greenery form a soft contrast to the canal’s geometric lines.
- Lucas Allen26/64
The crazy paving at this townhouse in Bray was inspired by Gertrude Jekyll. Crittall windows ensure the extension is filled with light.
- Paul Massey27/64
In a Victorian house in London, the double steel doors leading to the terrace were designed by Ebba Thott of Sigmar to give access from the main corridor. A rustic rocking chair and brightly patterned cushion give the London flat's outdoor space a relaxed atmosphere.
- Rachel Warne28/64
A quiet spot in the lawn, surrounded by flowerbeds, in Sam McKnight's London garden.
- Alexander James29/64
In this restored eighteenth-century house in Spitalfields, a new conservatory has been added (in keeping with the rest of the house), which opens onto the tinest of gardens - just enough room for some greenery and a garden bench.
- Kara Rosenlund30/64
Anna Spiro has added a colourful note to the decking outside her Brisbane cottage with terracotta planters in an antique plant stand, and a bright blue door.
- Helen Cathcart31/64
The delightfully overgrown (but still maintained) garden at Melissa Richardson’s house in Brixton is furnished with tables, chairs and a daybed from various antique markets.
- Benjamin Edwards32/64
This sunken terrace garden at a 19th-century terraced house designed by Bryan O'Sullivan has a living wall of plants designed by the landscape artist Elizabeth Staveley of LandARC.
- Tim Beddow33/64
Curtains in Sarah Vanrenen's 'Sunda' linen in brown frame the doorway to the garden of her London home, where the raised beds were planted by Tulip Landscapes.
- Rachael Smith34/64
Louisa Jones developed a passion for David Austin roses when she was planning the garden of her Victorian cottage in south west London. She planted an arbour of roses to separate her patio and lawn.
- Alicia Taylor35/64
Architect Alan Higgs converted a Georgian pub building in London into a subtly modern flat for himself. He constructed this sleek roof terrace to maximise the natural light within his interiors. A line of pleached trees planted in pots softens his urban rooftop view. The white hydrangeas edging the decking are the perfect floral choice for any minimalist.
- Sharyn Cairns36/64
The back garden of a west London house transformed by designer and architect Rabih Hage has been divided into two sections, one functioning as an outdoor seating area with a contemporary design and the other as a more lush and verdant area. This guarantees the best of both in a city garden that is decent-sized but not huge.
- Michael Sinclair37/64
The spacious back garden is one of the elements that has kept Rupert and Charles attached to their elegant London house; it is planted with 2,000 tulips each year. It really is magnificent, and in terms of its size and its style, so unusual for a London garden. Charles's eyes light up when he talks about it - even details such as the new shelving in the greenhouse, where seedlings, succulents and subtropicals grow. Upstairs, the main bathroom also has its own terrace that makes the most of this view.
- Andreas Von Einsiede38/64
This townhouse garden off Portobello Road (as featured in the May 2012 issue of House & Garden) provides a sanctuary from the bustling streets of Notting Hill. With the dining area situated on the roof terrace, the garden has been simply, symmetrically designed for pure visual pleasure; a mock Roman bust takes centre stage.
If you're unable to take your alfresco dining elsewhere, opt for fold-up or portable tables and chairs, which can be easily removed when you want your garden to function solely as a beautiful green space.
Use your paving to create structure. Here, encaustic mosaic-patterned tiles delineate the beds edged with box.
- Elsa Young39/64
Land Gardener Henrietta Courtauld has created a shed studio as a workspace in the small but thriving vegetable garden of her London home, for a completely out-of-the-city feel.
- Simon Brown40/64
In the garden of Butter Wakefield's London home, a wildflower meadow sweeps across the centre of the lawn, which is handsomely framed by clipped box pyramids on either side. This pocket of Hammersmith harks back to the bucolic era of Stamford Brook.
- Michael Sinclair41/64
In the Twickenham home of Lady Wakefield, a path bordered by topiary cones leads back to the house from the garden.
- Rachel Whiting42/64
The young designer Octavia Dickinson's Battersea flat captures the essence of an English cottage, no more so than in the narrow slice of garden that she's decorated with potted trees and plants and a white iron bench, table ( from Anne Fowler in Tetbury) and chairs (from Potting Up).
- 43/64
Double doors lead out from the kitchen to the garden of this Martin-Hulbert-designed house in London, which is paved with reclaimed York stone. Martin designed the pergola and the planting is by Philip Edwards. The dining chairs are the ‘Air-Chair’ by Jasper Morrison, from Magis, around a Knoll table.
- Jason Ingram44/64
An extension at Adam Sykes' California-inspired house in south London is clad in Siberian larch. The kitchen in the extension leads out to a paved seating area in the garden, designed by Town & Country Gardens.
- 45/64
Even the most compact paved area can house a comfortable seating area, as this space in a London house designed by Martin Hulbert shows.
- Simon Upton46/64
Herringbone brick paving gives a country feel to Keith McNally of Balthazar fame's Notting Hill garden. Find similar French cafe chairs from Maison Gatti (prices starting from €280).
- Simon Brown47/64
The conservatory in artist and designer Bridie Hall's north London townhouse is used as a library and snug, the cosy atmosphere aided by the lush greenery and planters ouside.
- 48/64
White furniture adds a modern touch to the lush planting of this garden in a west London townhouse designed by Shalini Misra. A profusion of rocks and different styles of paving give the impression of a natural setting, while timber fencing is softened by climbing greenery.
- Alexander James49/64
A minimalist gravel area is broken up by trees in the garden of this Edwardian villa designed by William Smalley.
- Andreas Von Einsiedel50/64
Lizzie and Ion Florescu's two adjoining Chelsea town houses are shaped around an enchanting keyhole-shaped courtyard garden. From every part of the house, there are glimpses and vistas of this intriguing outdoor area, and several points of access to it. Above the kitchen, the owners have created a rooftop terrace garden that maximises on space.
- Lucas Allen51/64
When two architects bought one of the smallest houses in New York, they transformed the interior, creating a bijou interior with a sense of spaciousness that belies its exterior appearance. Leading out from the kitchen is a small enclosed garden with ivy topiary.
- David Oliver52/64
Interior designer Virginia Howard had no intention of moving from Knightsbridge to Pimlico, until a balcony flat in a nineteenth-century garden square changed her mind. The balcony of the elegant, Grade II-listed stucco building overlooks the garden square in central London, bringing the outside in.
- Elsa Young53/64
Resisting the idea of moving or expanding into the basement, the owners of this London house, Land Gardener Henrietta Courtauld, gave architect Maria Speake of Retrouvius the go-ahead to make some structural changes to give their family and business the space needed. Wrought-iron chairs and a table provide a place to take in the view on the roof terrace.
- Simon Brown54/64
In a nook of hedges and creative bamboo trellises, an al fresco dining area is framed by the handsome navy window of Butter Wakefield's London home. Being a garen deisgner herself, Butter was never going to let her own outdroor space go to waste. The concrete tiled flooring and stragetically placed pots and planters all help to create a serene little space, perfect for enjoying a glass of wine on a summer's evening.
- 55/64
In this glorious communal city garden designed by Cameron Landscapes & Gardens, the clever use of space, with a table and benches encircled by trees and flowers, has created a relaxed and natural atmosphere.
- Simon Brown56/64
Garden designer Butter Wakefield has spent the past 18 years transforming her London garden into a flower-filled slice of the country in the city. Every last corner, nook and cranny is brought to life, with planting in terracotta pots and wooden crates, climbers up the wall and fence, and a mirror surrounded by foliage that cleverly reflects and accentuates the abundance of greenery.
- Sharyn Cairns57/64
Above a west London house designed by Rabih Hage is a vast and gorgeous roof garden. It features iroko decking, a barbecue, a Jacuzzi… and enough space to have a great party. The space looks even bigger thanks to the continuous use of wood panelling, expanding the vista up the back wall of the garden.
- Andrew Montgomery58/64
Jinny Blom's small city garden is a neatly walled space, replanted only months before this photograph was taken – talk about growth. Clipped box cubes contrasts with a clever planting scheme that mixes large-leaved exotic plants with cottage-garden favourites.
- Lucas Allen59/64
Designer Suzy Hoodless worked closely with Johnny Holland of Hackett Holland architects on the extensive renovation of this Victorian house in Notting Hill. Several clever, glazed elements give Johnny's conversion its particular allure. Undivided windows give a view all the way to the entrance hall, and reveal a double-height bespoke lighting installation, which hangs above the coffee table from Mint. The gorgeous little garden, landscaped by Alasdair Cameron, features white cobblestones, slim, silver-birch trees, and a living wall dotted with birdhouses. Out of view, on the lower-ground level and accessed from the basement, is a miniature smoking yard. Something of a sunken surrealist urban folly, resplendant with outdoor stone mantelpiece. See inside the house here.
- Paul Massey60/64
At Paul Priestman's mews house in Notting Hill, an outdoor area was created from nowhere by shortening the roof and adding a glass wall that cleverly allows natural light to flood the living room.
- Lusas Allen61/64
Richard Joseph of innovative kitchenware brand Joseph Joseph completely reconfigured the back of his Wandsworth house with the help of architect Daniel Adeshile, adding a kitchen and double-height dining room with six-metre-high glass doors that slide back to create a fluid link with the small garden at the rear.
'The only company that could make them that high with the thin frames was in Portugal,' says Richard. 'There was this big hole at the back of the house for three months waiting for the windows to arrive, and then we had to close the road and crane them in. It was a bit of a nightmare.' The enormous sliding creates an abundance of natural light and gives ample room for outdoor entertaining.
- Ngoc Minh Ngo62/64
Struggling for natural light? These steel french windows ensure an abundance of natural light in the sitting room of Jos and Annabel White's house in Manhattan's West Village. Try Clement Windows for something on the same scale, which would cost around £9,600 to supply, fix and glaze. Architecture by Basil Walter for BW Architects
- Paul Massey63/64
This stylish all-weather area created by Ebba Thott for her client's London home uses matchboard planks, which flow up the wall to create a bench for the table, and a planting area for the living wall.
- 64/64
Pretty shuttered french doors lead out onto a paved seating area at this Belgravia townhouse. With its lush greenery, modern furniture, and traditional fencing, this garden is an ideal urban space.
By Katherine McLaughlin
By Charlotte McCaughan-Hawes
By Charlotte McCaughan-Hawes