Bespoke courtyard garden design in London

We love courtyard garden design projects because there’s more to them than meets the eye. For example, we’re often asked to improve courtyard garden biodiversity. But many clients also want us to prioritise easy maintenance. Furthermore, in many city gardens, we also have to be sensitive to existing architectural designs. Obviously, this can pose a challenge when designing contemporary courtyards for listed buildings. And this applies to both hard landscaping and soft landscaping elements.
At Jonathan Mark, we’re specialists at London courtyard garden design. So that includes designs from scratch, courtyard renovation projects, and so on. Here are a few case studies to give a flavour of the way we work.

Grade II listed house in West London

Case study: Major works at a Grade II listed house in South Kensington, West London.
Client brief: A family, elegant garden with modern, tranquil feel.
Design: First off, we favoured courtyard designs in-keeping with the clients’ home exterior. However, they also wanted something fresh and contemporary. Our solution was to combine authentic materials with sleek, modern styling.
Result: Split-level Italian limestone hardscaping. We also included bespoke timber benches, an in-wall fireplace, and modern Italian planters. Meanwhile, a fireplace on the upper level served as a functional focal point. And it was one that gave an excellent view of the cypresses, olives, and perennial shrubs below.

From modern classic to Mediterranean courtyard design

Case study: Transforming a back garden from modern classic lines to a Mediterranean courtyard design for a Victorian listed house in Richmond, South West London.
Client brief: Having seen their fair share of courtyard gardens in London, the clients knew exactly what they wanted. Specifically, they felt that small courtyard gardens could make the most of their existing outdoor buildings and furniture while serving as distinctive socialising spaces.
Design: We went for a classic Mediterranean courtyard with a fire pit, authentic tiling, and brickwork. Next up, an additional courtyard design with a more contemporary, open feel served as a nice contrast and an elegant dining space surrounded by existing trees.

Georgian garden in Hertfordshire

Case study: Restoration of authentic garden for a Georgian venue in Hertfordshire, North London.
Client brief: Uphold the classic English character of the listed building with authentic courtyard wraparound and another in the central quad.
Space: 100m2 – old tiles, trees, shrubs, grass.
Design: For this design, we looked at a range of similar buildings with courtyard gardens and listed their integral features. Therefore, topiary, smart paving, contemporary garden furniture, and focal point water features were not only authentic but desirable for wedding photos too.

medium-garden-design-walls
loose stone pathway leading to circular paved area