The Secret Garden: four homes with hidden verdant plots
Whether hemmed in by walls or opening out expansively, an unexpected green space offers sensory, seasonal moments of joy: the scent of blooming jasmine and crawling honeysuckle in the spring; the sound of tall trees shaking off their autumn-hued leaves in the wind; the frost-bitten crunch of winter mornings. Here we celebrate four homes with secluded gardens waiting to be discovered
- Words
- Cat Sarsfield
Groveway, Stockwell, London SW9
As befits the Stockwell Park Conservation Area in which it lies, this light-filled maisonette provides a quiet oasis with its beautiful private garden – heaven for anyone green-fingered (or looking to become more au fait with planting, pruning and growing). The current owners will, when they go, leave behind an array of tree species – from pomegranate to strawberry to pink elderflower – while raised vegetable beds lie at the back, ready to be planted with seasonal spoils.
The particularly luscious outdoor space is alive with nature, from the flowerbeds to the creeping vines that frame the kitchen door. Inside, this feeling persists, thanks to an emphasis on wood: floors, cabinetry and staircases are all made of the stuff, complemented by forest-like house plants that echo the outdoors.
Brenchley Road, Matfield, Kent
An elevated garden sits behind this beautifully restored cottage and chapel – though greenery also surrounds the sides of the buildings, so peering out of a window, your gaze is likely to be met by glimpses of ferns and unexpected palm trees. From the lawn, it’s a few steps up to the terrace; above, a larger lawn opens up.
The garden’s steeped design offers up three distinct places to relax, entertain or garden, depending on your mood (and the weather). Lined with mature perennials, shrubs and specimen trees, the garden is distinctly private and strikes a balance between manicured neatness and a sense of wildness.
Melling, Lancaster, Lancashire
It’s hard not to fall in love with the bucolic setting of this pretty house in the Lune Valley. In front, a large magnolia tree lays the foundation for a picturesque rear garden, immaculate in its design, where nature has been allowed unfurl alongside its more preened bushes.
Complete with a terrace perfect for barbecuing, the garden also has extraordinary expansive views, showing off Lancashire’s rolling hills, fields dotted with cows, and the Howgill Fells. All this is made more special thanks to its west-facing outlook – think of the evenings you’ll spend sitting outside, watching the sunset turn the sky orange. A glass of orange wine wouldn’t go amiss, either, come to think of it…
Rhiw Gam, Llangrannog, Ceredigion
Dramatically set at the edge of the Cambrian Mountains, the terraced multi-level garden of this converted Victorian schoolhouse has extraordinary views, peering over a valley towards Ceredigion Bay and its tree-lined surroundings. But it’s not without horticultural charm too: follow the layered stone stairs and you’ll get to the grounds’ meadow lawns and native borders.
And while the coastline remains ever blue, each season brings new and more colourful life to this patch. Summer is especially enchanting, thanks to the wildflowers that take over, from fuchsia foxglove spires to delicate yellow cowslips. Above the house, meanwhile, you’ll find more green space, allowed to rewild in recent years and boasting a variety of flora and fauna that brings even more natural beauty throughout the year (if those views alone weren’t enough to entice you).
Bloomin’ marvellous?
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