After three years of renovating, our garden has finally become my favourite room

Strategist and content creator Francesca Swan is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on the concept of 'Everything' and what makes a home special to you. See the rest of her articles here.

I often wonder if I’ll wake up and realise that for the past three and a half years, we’ve unwittingly been involved in an experimental fly-on-the-wall episode of Grand Designs.

You know the story well; “When Francesca and her partner bought this beautiful Victorian apartment, it involved not only a complete renovation of the existing footprint, but a complex extension and summerhouse build to add an additional 40m2, as well as a fully landscaped garden. They’re project managing it themselves, learning on the job to create the home of their dreams. But will their six-month timeline and budget be stretched to breaking point, along with their spirits and occasionally sanity?’.

Well, Kevin, you would have had a field day with this one but thankfully, the builders are finally packing up their tools and inch by inch our home is slowly coming to life.

Through it all, one thing has become glaringly obvious. When living with destruction and general uncertainty on all fronts (six months on the market, six months of conveyancing, followed by two years of stop-start building, planning delays and never-ending health issues), an outdoor space becomes more than a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity.

Fortunately for us, we have a huge outdoor space; the new kitchen extension now opens directly out onto a pleasingly balanced southwest facing 100m2 pocket of nature, surrounded by established trees and lined with charming original red brick walls. A beautiful blank canvas to say the least and, also now home to our summerhouse, with its gym, office and guest-suite.

Unfortunately, for us our garden was one of the biggest aspects of our project and hence the last to be done. Two heavenly sun-soaked summers came and went in the blink of an eye and our garden remained tantalisingly out of bounds.

Designing the dream

First came the clearing of the veritable jungle we inherited, complex ground and drainage works for the summerhouse, followed by a six-month build.

Next the challenge of designing a rich, layered garden that leans into the beautiful surroundings and established natural handwriting, whilst seamlessly connecting the handsome period building and new-build summerhouse.

Gardens and nature are always a guaranteed place to instantly discover my sought-after Everything feeling; joy, being present and completely connected to my surroundings at the exclusion of all else. Gentle sunshine and warm light, the cooing of woodpigeons (a sound always guaranteed to soothe), the smell of roses and soft rustling of leaves in the breeze. Pure paradise catnip to me.

We dreamt of a considered, design-led garden: modern and intentional, lush, layered and immersive, with a strong sense of form and flow. As far as possible, we also wanted to swerve anything that felt too cut and paste (no obvious symmetry and neat borders here), use what was already in situ and create an overflowing, considered and grown-in wilderness that would move immediately with the light and seasons.

The summerhouse needed special consideration to make it blend harmoniously with the period building, garden and curated landscape beyond. It’s a calm, quietly confident structure that integrates architectural precision with nature; black timber repurposed cladding of varied widths creates gentle material rhythm and texture with a subtle, yet deliberate imperfection. Planting would wrap around and up to the building, blending it into the wider landscape creating contrast that feels intentional, cohesive and considered.

Our dream holidays revolve around secluded villas and indoor/outdoor living; lazy, langoruous days followed by slow, relaxing evenings, spent barefoot in lush outdoor surroundings. This became our goal, whilst also creating a space we could make the most of all year round.

The garden

We’re not experienced gardeners, so it was time to call in the experts. The fates aligned when we were introduced to the wonderful garden designer Tony Sherring and his philosophy centred on the importance of natural surroundings to our holistic wellbeing – mentally, emotionally and physically. We bonded over this shared feeling, and he was completely on board for creating an Everything garden with us.

After a gruelling three years, we were ready for some outdoor therapy and light relief, so gladly embraced Tony’s collaborative, yet relaxed approach. Over six very enjoyable months, he guided us with his easy-going touch of fun and patience, and a dash of firm perfectionism.

We worked together on every stage of creating our garden, literally getting our hands dirty with everything from planning and design to nursery trips, soil preparation and planting. Tony firstly highlighted key considerations that informed the design. To combat the new-build feel, he was inspired by the plentiful character of our Victorian seaside-town, along with a consideration for focal-point views from the property, borrowed landscape and neighbouring gardens.

The garden is fairly open and southwest-facing. Plants were chosen for clay tolerance and positioned according to Beth Chatto’s “Right Plant Right Place” philosophy. With extensive local knowledge of what works in the area he leant into established local planting and genus loci. Lastly, practical considerations included lower maintenance plants, water harvesting, composting and plants that provide food sources for birds and insects, all blending to form an urban wilderness for daily life we could enjoy and watch grow over the years.

A relaxed and naturalistic planting palette of predominantly green emerged, highlighted with purples, whites and seasonal colours. Rhythmic repetition of plants creates our much sought after cohesion, form and flow, whilst the summerhouse exterior also provides a perfect backdrop for planting.

Accents of seasonal colour create year-round interest with a mixture of deciduous and evergreen plants, including winter-flowering hellebores, autumn-flowering anemones and late-spring digitalis, a self-seeding native biennial with a rosette of soft furry, oval leaves and tall spires of pendant, tubular, bright flowers, providing an early-summer nectar source for bumblebees.

Other stars of the show include the hydrangea petiolaris (climbing hydrangea), a self-clinging deciduous climber suited to darker walls/spaces, with showy flowers and oval leaves that turning yellow in autumn. The Euphorbia characias subsp. wulfenii (Mediterranean spurge) is an evergreen perennial providing winter and early-spring interest, when its stems dome with huge clusters of unusual waxy yellow blossoms with plume-like blue-green foliage that spirals around the stems, resembling bottle brushes.

Height and contrast create perimeter privacy, terrace shading and visual depth, with planting onto the extension to blend it into the landscape. The Betula nigra (multi-stem birch) has a light canopy providing shade and privacy for the terrace, while softening the buildings from the terrace sightline. It’s also useful for wildlife and creates strong winter interest from the contrasting white trunks against the soft black summerhouse.

Existing planting retained includes a mature ceanothus (Californian lilac) for evergreen structure and its impressive late-spring blue blossom. A sturdy rose bush, a smaller rambler and a vine along the Victorian wrought-iron fence have also been pruned to help bring them back to life after years of neglect.

Last but not least came the introduction of planters. Timeless in design and built to last, the Borge Large Grey Terracotta Pot was my pick from the wide planter collection of my new favourite, Gardenesque (more on them in a moment). They bring a calm, understated elegance to the space, whilst the weathered grey finish speaks perfectly to the architectural tones of the red brick wall and handsome period building. Handmade by artisans using premium grey-washed terracotta, this durable and frost-proof planter is designed to complement a variety of plants, from small trees to large floral arrangements.

These pots create height and depth on the terrace and can be moved seasonally; planting of greens and whites complements the grey, including the muehlenbeckia complexa (Necklace Vine): a semi-evergreen climber suited to planters, where it can cascade joyfully over the sides.

As the garden begins to take beautiful shape, we are now fully educated and equipped, not to mention inspired and invested, to nurture everything, as it slowly evolves and grows around and with us for years to come. If you need us on a weekend, you’ll most likely find us tending our garden. Not a sentence I ever thought I’d type!

Building beautiful bones

Next up, premium natural paving to define the zones for dining and relaxing, along with pathways and steps to guide the flow between areas.

Having already found perfect solutions for the bathroom and guest en-suite within the huge, varied shelves of Mandarin Stone, we started our search there and were instantly rewarded with the discovery of the newly launched Dijon Heritage limestone.

This offered a sublime soft tumbled and sandblasted finish with a lightly textured surface and characterful pits where shells once were. Pale cream, soft grey and terracotta tones create a time-worn appearance that works effortlessly alongside the original brick walls and period building. Together they create a pleasing organic tactility and richness under bare feet, whilst adding a layer of gentle beauty that softly unites the space.

Year-round indoor-outdoor living

Whilst the other stages of the garden project had needed expert guidance, choosing the furniture was very much my wheelhouse and a particularly fun task on my lengthy to-do list. As always, my starting point was finding an Everything business who shared my values of beautiful design, anchored with sustainable quality and craft.

Gardenesque began with founder Ali’s belief that gardens should be furnished with the same care and intention as rooms inside the home: spaces that feel calm, considered and inviting and a natural extension of the home. That philosophy continues through its approach to design, material selection and craftsmanship, with timeless, comfortable pieces intended to settle naturally into the garden and invite outdoor dining, planting and gathering over many seasons.

The palette is drawn from the garden itself – soft greys of weathered limestone, muted greens, warm clay tones and chalky neutrals – chosen to complement rather than compete with the landscape. Materials are selected for durability, low maintenance and the realities of the British climate, with sustainably sourced material choices prioritised.

To define the three separate social zones for dining, lounging and relaxing, I chose three distinctive colours to work in contrast with their surroundings. The furniture and materials complement the design ethos already established in the apartment.

The Hoxton Lounge in Stone seats four people with a small coffee table and has clean architectural lines, low-profile weather-resistant cushions and compact proportions. A powder-coated steel frame and FSC-certified eucalyptus armrests create subtle, yet striking contrast continuing the quality material language that flows throughout.

The matching Hoxton Dining in Green adds a six-seat dining set at the foot of the kitchen steps and brings a delightful dash of sage green against the soft cream pavers. Stackable chairs and slim cushioned seating also make it easily storable when not in use.

Last but definitely not least, the Stanley Conversation Set in Earthy Red: this deep armchair and footstool set features tactile UV-resistant all-weather rope seats (no cushions required) and an FSC-certified rounded acacia frame bringing a supportive seat angle and generous depth, with the hand-woven rope creating a gently responsive seat that adapts as you sit. The matching ottoman extends the line naturally, allowing you to recline and relax. The natural beauty of the high, solid acacia side table completes the arrangement, keeping books and drinks within easy reach without disturbing the overall sense of calm.

We also added the Hoole cast iron fire pit: a strikingly stylish cast iron and steel wide bowl that retains heat and provides even distribution, with a removable log grate and metal poker making it super easy to use. It will develop natural rust and texture as it ages and creates the perfect solution for keeping our garden fully in use during colder months. I’m already dreaming of mulled wine and toasting marshmallows on frosty winter evenings.

Lighting for all seasons

Lighting was key to extend how the garden is experienced beyond daylight, both practically and aesthetically. In our coastal setting it needed to be robust as well as considered; different sources highlight the summerhouse and planting, add depth and movement, defining zones and supporting both function and atmosphere.

To illuminate the summerhouse, the Pooky Portreath IP65 Up and Down Pillar Light in bronze is a simple cylindrical design giving a gentle wash of ambient light without glare, perfect for highlighting foliage. In solid brass with a bronze finish, it’s particularly suitable for coastal environments where corrosion can be a problem, so the finish naturally mellows and darkens over time.

A pair of two Pooky Hayle IP44 Exterior Wall Lights in bronze provides a statement flourish completing our extension terrace. These Art Deco-influenced exterior wall lanterns have a distinctively modern feel and work perfectly with the summerhouse lights to create a seamless design language across the whole space.

A garden for now and forever

As the last of the rubble is cleared and we complete the planting, our dream garden is slowly and miraculously emerging, like a magnificent butterfly from its dusty chrysalisis.

Even though the autumn leaves are starting to fall and the temperature creeps downwards, we find ourselves constantly drawn to our new space, whether secateurs in hand for a gentle potter, or a book and cup of coffee for a relaxing hour in the sunshine. Our first outdoor lunch party is planned, blankets at the ready to combat any chilliness.

Our vision of year-round indoor-outdoor living is now a reality and we have an instant Everything reset on hand whenever we need it. Mission accomplished.