Contemporary Garden Design for a Victorian Terrace in Hackney
This contemporary garden design project was created by Dan Hartley Gardens for a refurbished Victorian end-of-terrace property in Hackney, East London. The aim was to design a garden that complements the character of the Victorian architecture while introducing a modern approach to outdoor living.
As a London garden designer, I carefully considered the challenges of the sloping site to create a series of connected outdoor spaces using bespoke sandstone terracing, generous steps and carefully designed planting areas. The result is a garden that feels spacious, practical and connected to the home.
The natural sandstone provides a warm, timeless material palette that works beautifully alongside the Victorian property, creating a strong architectural framework for the garden. The clean lines of the terraces contrast with softer naturalistic planting, bringing balance between structure and informality.
The planting design takes inspiration from Mediterranean landscapes, combining drought-tolerant perennials, ornamental grasses, lavender and silver-leaved plants to create year round texture, movement and seasonal interest. These resilient plants were selected to provide a low-maintenance planting scheme that thrives in an urban London garden environment.
This Victorian terrace garden demonstrates how thoughtful garden design can transform a challenging urban space. Through considered materials, careful level changes and naturalistic planting, the garden has become an extension of the refurbished home and a contemporary outdoor space with a strong sense of place.
Transforming a Victorian Terrace Garden in Hackney
This Hackney garden design project involved transforming an overlooked outdoor space into a contemporary, welcoming garden that complements a fully refurbished Victorian end-of-terrace property.
The design approach was to create a strong connection between the house and garden, respecting the character of the original Victorian architecture while introducing a more modern landscape with improved flow, structure and year-round interest.
Creating Structure Through Bespoke Sandstone Terracing
The garden presented a challenge due to its changing levels and restricted urban setting. Through careful planning and detailed design, the space was reshaped into a series of connected terraces, creating practical areas for entertaining, relaxing and enjoying the planting.
Bespoke natural sandstone was selected to create the stepping stones around the upper garden, providing a warm and timeless material. The clean lines of the stonework introduce architectural structure which complements the property, while the natural tones help the garden feel established and connected to its surroundings.
Mediterranean-Inspired Planting Design
The planting scheme was designed to soften the strong geometry of the sandstone terraces and introduce movement, texture and seasonal interest.
Inspired by Mediterranean landscapes, the planting combines drought-tolerant perennials, ornamental grasses, lavender and silver-leaved plants. These resilient species were carefully selected for their ability to thrive in a sunny urban garden while providing a long season of colour and supporting pollinators.
The contrast between the structured hard landscaping and the naturalistic planting creates a relaxed contemporary garden that feels considered and informal.
A Contemporary Garden Design for Urban Living
This project demonstrates how thoughtful garden design can transform a challenging London garden into an extension of the home. By combining carefully detailed materials, practical level changes and a resilient planting scheme, the garden now provides a private outdoor space designed for year-round enjoyment.
The result is a contemporary Victorian terrace garden in Hackney that balances architectural structure with naturalistic planting, creating a landscape that will continue to mature and evolve over time.