Landscape Design
Patio of the Week
Leafy Outdoor Rooms Create an Inviting Backyard for Entertaining
A designer transforms a wide, shallow patio in London into a plant-filled haven for relaxing and dining with friends
For the owners of this North London home, cooking for friends is a big part of life, with outdoor gatherings a particular pleasure. The yard they inherited, however, was dingy and dated. They envisioned a space that could host a crowd while also serving as a tranquil retreat from their hectic work lives. Achieving both goals on an awkwardly wide, shallow lot required an expert eye.
Searching Houzz for a designer, the couple discovered Stathis Lazarides of Epoch Landscapes, whose experience renovating small spaces suited their needs. By subtly zoning the yard with raised beds that define different areas without restricting flow, he created a leafy haven that feels both intimate and spacious.
Searching Houzz for a designer, the couple discovered Stathis Lazarides of Epoch Landscapes, whose experience renovating small spaces suited their needs. By subtly zoning the yard with raised beds that define different areas without restricting flow, he created a leafy haven that feels both intimate and spacious.
The owners’ main request was to have a large dining table, and Lazarides made it the patio’s focal point. From this angle you can see the pleasing symmetry of the back wall design. Wood panels, oversize containers and raised beds mirror either side of a living wall, breaking up the broad expanse of stucco.
With an abundance of trees and shrubs beyond the boundary, there was an opportunity to incorporate borrowed views into the design to visually expand the space. “We staggered the plants as we had nice mature trees behind,” Lazarides says. He planted a Himalayan birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, USDA zones 5 to 6; find your zone) — noted for its white bark — on the right-hand side, where there are fewer trees beyond, as well as shrubs, perennials and the green wall.
With an abundance of trees and shrubs beyond the boundary, there was an opportunity to incorporate borrowed views into the design to visually expand the space. “We staggered the plants as we had nice mature trees behind,” Lazarides says. He planted a Himalayan birch (Betula utilis var. jacquemontii, USDA zones 5 to 6; find your zone) — noted for its white bark — on the right-hand side, where there are fewer trees beyond, as well as shrubs, perennials and the green wall.
Rather than installing an outdoor cooking area, which would have cramped the space, Lazarides placed the dining table immediately outside the kitchen. The result is a large indoor-outdoor entertaining space when the patio doors are open, as in this photo.
With three sets of doors leading into the yard, Lazarides carefully considered how the design would look from various rooms in the house. The framed view of the living wall here works beautifully.
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With three sets of doors leading into the yard, Lazarides carefully considered how the design would look from various rooms in the house. The framed view of the living wall here works beautifully.
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Lazarides chose striking evergreen pineapple guava shrubs (Acca sellowiana, zones 8 to 10) for the large pots flanking the living wall. The flowers (just seen on the left-hand shrub) are edible. “I wanted to use multistem varieties here so you can still see the [wood paneling] in the background,” he says.
Large plant pots: Torc Pots
Large plant pots: Torc Pots
The pockets that support the living wall are made from recycled plastic and outfitted with an irrigation system that drips water down through the plants to a gravel-filled dry well.
Lazarides filled the pockets with a mix of shade-happy plants including white dusky cranesbill (Geranium phaeum ‘Album’, zones 4 to 9), ferns, grasses and ivy.
Lazarides filled the pockets with a mix of shade-happy plants including white dusky cranesbill (Geranium phaeum ‘Album’, zones 4 to 9), ferns, grasses and ivy.
From this angle you can see how Lazarides used the raised beds to zone the yard without restricting flow.
“I wanted to enclose the areas so they’re surrounded by plants,” he says. “It’s difficult to create zones in such a small, narrow space, but these define the two areas — dining and seating.”
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“I wanted to enclose the areas so they’re surrounded by plants,” he says. “It’s difficult to create zones in such a small, narrow space, but these define the two areas — dining and seating.”
See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
The original paving stones were in a poor state, so Lazarides replaced them with these pale gray porcelain tiles.
“I chose porcelain because natural stone in a shady [yard] tends to develop algae and is more difficult to clean,” he says. “The owners wanted the patio to be as low maintenance as possible. Porcelain isn’t as porous as natural stone so it’s easier to pressure-wash.”
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“I chose porcelain because natural stone in a shady [yard] tends to develop algae and is more difficult to clean,” he says. “The owners wanted the patio to be as low maintenance as possible. Porcelain isn’t as porous as natural stone so it’s easier to pressure-wash.”
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Similarly to how the dining table connects with the kitchen, the seating area sits off a writing room. Lazarides chose simple wood furniture to echo the dining table and complement the neutral palette.
He installed a second living wall next to the writing room to break up the expanse of wall and planted a Japanese maple in the far corner that will grow to visually connect with the landscape beyond.
He installed a second living wall next to the writing room to break up the expanse of wall and planted a Japanese maple in the far corner that will grow to visually connect with the landscape beyond.
In progress: Before the remodel, the stucco on the rear wall was cracked and discolored, and an existing storage shed was rotten.
After: Lazarides painted the newly plastered walls in a warm pale gray. “It’s a neutral color that reflects the porcelain paving, and the greenery looks nice against it,” he says.
He installed a new shed and screened it behind a tall laurel hedge. The entrance to the yard is opposite the shed, down the side of the house.
Many of the plants in the powder-coated steel raised beds are evergreen for a leafy look throughout winter. These include clipped small shrubs such as dwarf Japanese mock orange (Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’, zones 9 to 10) and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus, zones 6 to 8), seen here at the front. “I use clipped forms within perennials to keep that contrast and structure,” Lazarides says.
The white flowers are ‘Honorine Jobert’ windflower (Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, zones 4 to 8), while Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, zones 5 to 9) and maidenhair vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa, zones 8 to 10) tumble over the edge, adding softness.
He installed a new shed and screened it behind a tall laurel hedge. The entrance to the yard is opposite the shed, down the side of the house.
Many of the plants in the powder-coated steel raised beds are evergreen for a leafy look throughout winter. These include clipped small shrubs such as dwarf Japanese mock orange (Pittosporum tobira ‘Nanum’, zones 9 to 10) and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus, zones 6 to 8), seen here at the front. “I use clipped forms within perennials to keep that contrast and structure,” Lazarides says.
The white flowers are ‘Honorine Jobert’ windflower (Anemone x hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’, zones 4 to 8), while Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra, zones 5 to 9) and maidenhair vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa, zones 8 to 10) tumble over the edge, adding softness.
The planters feature drip irrigation that runs on timers. “There’s quite a lot of shade, especially in the morning, and these are semi-shade perennials that like damp soil,” Lazarides says.
Here you can see one of the yard’s drainage channels that runs neatly along the bases of the raised beds to prevent water collecting on the paving.
Here you can see one of the yard’s drainage channels that runs neatly along the bases of the raised beds to prevent water collecting on the paving.
Lazarides placed cloud-pruned shrubs next to the doorway into the kitchen. “They’re a little more formal, as this is the main exit from the house into the yard,” he says. The pots are the same as those next to the living wall opposite so they link both sides of the space.
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A scattering of wall sconces offer subtle illumination after dark, but these can be switched off as soon as people go inside. “The couple like to entertain and spend a lot of time in the [yard],” Lazarides says.
The space is now everything the couple hoped for and more. The review they left on Lazarides’ profile on Houzz says it all: “We had a dark, unattractive, outdated 80s garden. Well, no more. The transformation is incredible. Our garden is beautiful. We have had such great service from conception through to delivery with Stathis and his team. We are delighted!”
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Patio at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with a high-end catering business
Location: North London
Size: About 915 square feet (85 square meters)
Landscape designer: Stathis Lazarides of Epoch Landscapes
Landscape contractor: Olive Tree Landscaping
The yard is north-facing, and the original 1980s design felt dark, dated and shabby. Lazarides gutted everything and started from scratch.
“The couple wanted clean, contemporary lines and a green-and-white color palette,” he says. “I convinced them we should use as much of the space for plants as possible. Because it’s such a narrow [yard], we had to make full use of the back wall.” The plants cover only around 215 square feet (20 square meters), but utilizing vertical surfaces makes the space feel much greener.
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