Transforming a grey city garden into a vibrant oasis of colour and life
Over the past 21 years, Tiffany Daneff's garden has undergone a remarkable transformation, evolving from a conventional lawn-focused space into a thriving, biodiverse area that enhances its ecological value and visual appeal.
When the Daneff family first moved to central London, their garden was a typical urban space, complete with a patch of lawn and pleached apple trees for screening. However, as their children grew up, the owners decided to create a garden with perennials and longevity, opting for a more sustainable and naturalistic approach.
Tiffany Daneff introduced wildflower meadows using carefully chosen native wildflowers, herbs, and perennials. She employs techniques such as sowing yellow rattle to manage grass dominance and controlling invasive plants like nettle and bramble to ensure meadow health. These changes have not only reduced maintenance needs but have also increased the garden's ecological value.
The garden's design is thoughtfully integrated with the house, creating a seamless transition between the two spaces. The herringbone paving in the new garden mirrors the grey herringbone wood floor in the new kitchen, further enhancing this connection.
The garden's layout has been carefully planned to make the most of its space. The width and generosity of the stone steps leading to the garden give an illusion of width and space, while the new proposal to lower the levels of both kitchen and garden, and replace the London-brick exterior walls with contemporary glass doors, would further open up the interior to the garden.
Sensitive lighting is used throughout the garden, providing soft uplighting in pots and to the magnolia. A Japanese maple and a young fig tree are located outside the kitchen, with the fig tree's leaves lit up at night. A small raised bed opposite the kitchen contains herbs and white-flowering plants like cyclamen, bacopa, and hesperis, adding a touch of elegance and fragrance.
The garden's full sun exposure from 11am to 6pm necessitated the installation of a wall-mounted shade. Tree ferns, including a 30-year-old Dicksonia antarctica, are placed in larger containers throughout the garden, adding a touch of tropical elegance.
Each brick paver was painstakingly laid by hand and designed to look reclaimed, while the steps from the street are laid in a matching brick to blend with the garden. Seasonal containers provided bursts of color in the garden, and over-sized planters livened up the front of the house.
The result of the renovation was a lighter and greener garden, and the glass cube avoided the sense of being in a dark well. The garden now offers a seasonal oasis for the owners, providing a tranquil space to relax and enjoy the diverse, flowering plants that have replaced traditional lawns. This approach promotes sustainability and aligns with current gardening trends emphasizing native plants and habitat creation.
- Tiffany Daneff's home improvement project included not only the renovation of the interior-design but also the transformation of the garden design, creating a biodiverse area that promotes sustainability and follows current gardening trends.
- The garden design, with its wildflower meadows and native plants, seamlessly integrates with the home-and-garden's interior, creating a visual appeal that enhances the lifestyle of the Daneff family.
- Outdoor-living is maximized in the renovated space, as the thoughtful layout, sensitive lighting, and use of seasonal containers offer a tranquil, flowering oasis for relaxation, reflecting the shift towards gardens that value eco-friendliness and habitat creation.
