FACT FILE
THE DETAILS
Vicky Twyman and Mark Mckown moved into their 1930s home in 2010, drawn by the unusually long London garden with space enough for lawn, a den and a tree house for their young children, Uly and Niamh, now aged 16 and 11.
THE CHALLENGE
The original 27m x 7m plot was full of brambles, which were cleared, only to reveal low walls defining borders and narrow concrete paths, which had to be removed. An old garage, ugly but useful, jutted into the first section of the back garden, which Mark hid behind screening, ready to disguise with climbing plants.
THE PLAN
Over time, the north-eastfacing garden has been divided into three areas, using wooden screens, trees and shrubs. By the house, a deck leads down to a gravelled area. Halfway down the garden, an outdoor dining area is shaded by an old plum tree. A path then leads to a lawn enclosed in raised beds and mature planting. At the furthest end, Mark’s studio was completed last year, and edged by borders.