Side return gardens

The side return is one of the most overlooked spaces in a domestic property, and it is a feature of terraced and semi-detached houses across Surbiton, Kingston, Twickenham and Richmond. It sits between the house and the boundary, usually no more than a metre or two wide, often in shade, and almost always used as a route to the bins or a storage area for things that have nowhere better to go. It is not the garden. It is the gap beside the garden.

That is the prevailing attitude, and it consistently undersells what a side return can become. A well-designed side return is a functional extension of the garden: a route that is pleasant to walk along, a space that accommodates storage and utility use without feeling like a dumping ground.

In the urban and suburban housing stock of the KT and TW postcodes, where outdoor space is often limited, a side return that is properly considered can meaningfully increase the usable and enjoyable area of a garden. This guide explains how.

If your property includes several awkward layout challenges, our page on awkward garden types and how thoughtful design solves them is a good place to start.

Why side return spaces are often overlooked

The side return is typically narrow, often dark and usually functional. It is the route to the gate, the home of the bins, the place where the hosepipe lives and the garden tools are stacked in a corner. It does not feel like a design opportunity because it has never been treated as one.

The width is the primary constraint. A side return of 900mm to 1.5 metres does not offer much room beyond a path and, if you are lucky, a planted edge. But that limitation is often an assumption rather than a reality. Many side returns in the Victorian and Edwardian housing stock of Surbiton and Kingston are wider than they appear, particularly where a fence has been positioned without reference to the maximum available width. And even genuinely narrow side returns have more potential than is usually exploited.

Light is the other constraint. Side returns beside a two-storey house on the north side receive little direct sun. On the south side, they can be surprisingly bright. The design response should reflect the actual conditions of the specific plot.

The problems caused by narrow side strips

A neglected side return creates several practical problems beyond being an unattractive space. Damp and moss on hard surfaces that are never maintained, overgrown planting that makes the route narrow and unpleasant to use, a gate that is awkward to access, and storage that has accumulated without organisation, these are the typical conditions we encounter across the terrace properties of the KT postcode area.

The relationship to the rear garden is often where the neglected side return does most damage. A transition from a well-designed rear garden into an unloved side strip undercuts the quality of the whole. When visitors leave the garden via the side return, or when the view from the kitchen window includes the side passage, the contrast between the considered rear garden and the residual side strip is immediately apparent.

If the side return forms part of a wider plot, our page on wrap-around gardens may also be useful.

Our approach to making side returns feel useful and connected

At Flourish, we treat the side return as part of the garden rather than as an appendage to it. The most important decision in a side return is the surface. A well-laid paving material that relates to the rear garden surface immediately elevates the space. Natural stone, porcelain or a quality concrete paving in a format proportionate to the width of the passage transforms a utilitarian strip into something that feels designed. Even a well-laid gravel path with planted edges is a significant improvement on an unmaintained concrete path with no considered edges.

The second decision is what happens to the boundaries. A rendered wall painted in a pale, warm tone, a timber fence in good condition stained to a consistent colour, or a climbing plant trained up the side of the house wall, these choices determine the character of the space more than almost anything else.

Pathways, planting, storage, lighting and circulation ideas

In a narrow side return, the path and the planting are often the same thing. A path wide enough to walk along comfortably, with a planted edge of 300 to 400mm on one or both sides, is frequently the most that the width can accommodate. In that case, the planting selection matters enormously, because the plants are the primary design element.

For shaded side returns, common on the north side of terraced properties across Surbiton and Kingston, shade-tolerant species with interesting foliage provide structure and interest through the year. Polystichum setiferum, Hakonechloa macra, Epimedium cultivars and Sarcococca confusa are all well-suited to the conditions. Sarcococca in particular is valuable because of its fragrance in late winter, which transforms a functional route into something that genuinely rewards passing through.

Climbers on walls make exceptional use of the vertical surfaces that a side return offers in abundance. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, Hedera helix cultivars, Jasminum nudiflorum for winter interest, or Parthenocissus quinquefolia for autumn colour can clothe a bare wall without competing for the limited ground space.

Lighting in a side return is both practical and transformative. Low-level path lights at intervals, a wall-mounted fitting at the gate and an uplight on a significant climber or specimen plant make a side return feel deliberate and inviting rather than functional and forgotten. LED fittings on a timer or sensor require almost no maintenance and make the space usable and safe after dark.

Storage in a side return should be designed rather than accumulated. A timber log store, a bespoke bin enclosure, or a simple shelf and hook system mounted on the house wall can accommodate functional requirements without dominating the visual character of the space.

If the side strip is part of a longer, narrower rear plot, our guide to long thin and narrow gardens may help with the wider layout.

Build considerations in tight spaces

Working in a narrow side return in a terrace property across the KT and TW postcode areas requires care. Sub-base preparation, drainage installation and planting operations all need to be sequenced carefully when the working space is limited.

Drainage in a side return is important. A paved surface with no means of directing water away will pool at any low point in the path, and in a shaded side return that pooling can persist and create a hazard. A simple fall towards a channel drain or away from the house foundation, incorporated into the laying of the surface, prevents this without any visible drainage infrastructure.

If access to the rear garden is only possible through the house, see our page on gardens with no side access. If the side return also includes level changes, our guides to stepped and split-level gardens and sloping gardens may also be relevant.

How a side return can become an asset rather than dead ground

A well-resolved side return does three things. It accommodates the practical and functional requirements of that side of the house. It provides a pleasant, legible route between the front and rear of the garden. And it contributes to the overall quality and coherence of the outdoor space.

When all three of those things are true, the side return becomes an asset. It adds usable space, it improves the quality of the journey through the garden, and it removes one of the most common sources of visual inconsistency between a considered rear garden and an unloved side passage. It is a transformation we have made in side returns across Surbiton, Kingston, Twickenham and Richmond, and the results are consistently more significant than the modest scale of the space might suggest.

Where the space is more enclosed and inward-looking, you may also find our page on courtyard gardens useful.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best use of a side return garden?

A well-surfaced route that accommodates functional traffic, a dedicated storage area for bins and utility items, and a planted edge or wall covering that adds character and makes the space pleasant to use. In wider side returns, a seating area, water feature or kitchen garden can also be incorporated.

Can a side return become more than just a path?

Yes, where the width allows it. A side return of 1.8 metres or more has enough space for a small seating area or a planting area with genuine depth. Even narrower returns can be made to feel like considered spaces rather than functional passages through good surface choice, planting and lighting.

What plants work well in narrow side spaces?

Shade-tolerant species with good foliage: Polystichum setiferum, Hakonechloa macra, Epimedium cultivars and Sarcococca confusa at ground level. Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris, Hedera helix cultivars and Jasminum nudiflorum for vertical coverage on walls and fences. These species provide year-round interest without requiring the light that most flowering plants demand.

How do you make a side strip feel like part of the overall garden?

By using the same or a closely related paving material as the rear garden, introducing some plant species that also appear in the rear scheme, and ensuring the lighting approach is consistent. The transition from the rear garden into the side return should feel natural rather than abrupt.

Is it worth spending money on a side return?

Yes, in most cases. The side return is often the first impression of the rear garden and the last when leaving. An unloved side strip undermines the quality of even a beautifully designed rear garden. The investment required to properly resolve a side return is usually modest relative to the overall garden project, and the improvement to the experience of the whole space is disproportionate.

Related pages

Awkward garden types and how thoughtful design solves them Wrap-around gardens Gardens with no side access Long thin and narrow gardens Stepped and split-level gardens Sloping gardens Courtyard gardens