Private Residence

Client: 3Interiors

Landscape Architect: Park Hood

Cost: £1.5 million

Duration: 12 months

Location: Belgravia

“We were very impressed with Blakedown Landscapes and their collaborative working on this complex landscape scheme.  The team was flexible, proactive and nothing was too much trouble.  Their suggested improvements to the programme resulted in an accelerated build time.  We were particularly impressed with how quickly they managed last minute changes to the soft landscaping to achieve instant impact with the size and type of plants.”
— Allan Grieve, Director, 3Interios

This private residence in London is a listed property located in the Belgravia conservation area.  It was originally built for the 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam in the early 19th century to the design of English architect Sir Robert Smirke whose best-known work was the design of the main façade and block of the British Museum.

In 2018 the current owners proposed a restoration of the building which included improvements to the setting, enhancement of the conservation area and a beneficial landscape scheme.  This would convert the house back to a family home with a bespoke solution for a particular occupier, ensure the building’s survival and secure its optimum viable use.

Client Brief

The brief was to create a landscape of several staged areas moving from public to private which in turn reflect the property itself which has a frontal public entrance to the south and a more private street entrance at the north.  The interior is also laid out from a grand public entrance to a very private family room.  Each landscaped stage area is closely related to the specific interior function it is intended to serve.

Scope of the Contract

The scheme is set in six staged sets:

  • Front Drive Entrance – this is set with a cobblestone driveway, lined with flower beds, a lawned area with granite sett edging, raised planters, a tall Yew Hedge and three 90-100cm girth Carpinus Betulus trees.

  • Library Terrace – comprises a lawned area surrounded by Yew Hedging and Tilia Europaea Pallida trees.

  • Hidden Buffer Corridor – this Portland stone paved corridor is created by thick tall Yew Hedging with arched openings leading to stone steps. 

  • Family Garden Terrace – the most private interior space at ground floor level.  A mix of Portland Limestone and Jura Beige Limestone CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) machined to form  intricate decorative patterns and laid to create an outdoor living and dining room, with steps leading down to the private garden.

  • Private Garden – featuring a Portland stone footpath encasing a central area laid to lawn.  As the lowest point in the landscape, the garden is outlined by raised planters with tall Pleached Hedges, Carpinus Betulus espalier trees facing the boundary wall and a row of large Magnolia Grandiflora Pleached Hedge.  There is also a small sitting area which is densely planted and lies within a curved perimeter masonry wall.

  • Grosvenor Crescent Park Public Area – this small park-like garden creates a privacy buffer from the street.  The existing landscape has been enhanced with dense planting and the installation of a public drinking fountain.

  • Maintenance - 12 months maintenance of the soft landscaping scheme, including the lawns, hedges and planting.

Expertise and Best Practice

Blakedown worked collaboratively with the design team and main contractor to ensure that the finished gardens met the client’s expectations and goals for the project.  Our expert knowledge in both hard landscaping and horticultural best practice was brought to the fore to ensure the quick establishment of the planting scheme and the durability of the hard works. 

Challenges

Challenges to the project included:

Logistics surrounding access for site deliveries and access to an outside materials storage area for the interior contractor.  Good communication and a flexible approach allowed for seamless and collaborative working between Blakedown and 3Interiors.   Additionally, we carried out a rationalisation of the programme which allowed us to sequence the works in a manner which kept access points open.

Installation of three 12 metre Carpinus Betulus trees to the front driveway area.  Due to the retention of existing mature trees to this area, space was insufficient for the trees to be delivered and unloaded by crane on site.  To provide a solution, we liaised closely with City Lifting who took delivery of the trees at their depot and transported them by flatbed lorry to site.  The trees were subsequently unloaded using a Hiab.  Parking Bay closure was granted by Westminster City Council.

Tree Root Protection Zones – in the rear garden a protection area was created using piled raft foundations to transfer the load from the hard landscape. CellWeb TRP (Tree Root Protection) was installed to the front drive to reduce the load pressure on the sub soil above the tree roots, stopping it compacting

Changes to the initial soft landscaping scheme following a request by the client for a more established and ‘instant impact’ finish, were quickly implemented with enhanced planting.

Virtual selection of trees due to the pandemic.  Collaboration between Park Hood Landscape Architects, Blakedown and Van den Berk Nurseries ensured selection of the correct specimens.