Contemporary garden – Surbiton

Objective

• Mint fossil Indian sandstone for a contemporary, light-reflecting terrace
• A bespoke, hand-built timber pergola
• A contemporary relaxation and dining area for everyday family use
• Materials and detailing chosen to sit comfortably with the Victorian semi

The challenge: a garden starved of light

Light, or rather the lack of it, defined this Surbiton garden. The rear of a Victorian semi was dominated by a dark, ageing concrete patio that soaked up what little sunlight reached it, leaving the whole space feeling cold, closed-in and smaller than it really was.

The project called for a full back-garden renovation — replacing the failing patio and unsafe fencing with a contemporary scheme that could lift the light levels and bring the garden back into everyday use. Working with the shade rather than against it was the central challenge.

Client brief

The owners wanted a contemporary outdoor space that felt calm and elegant rather than showy. Practical seating and dining for everyday family use mattered, as did a sense of warmth and light in a garden that had always felt gloomy.

Design approach

Patio replacement. The dark concrete was removed and replaced with around 120m² of pale mint fossil Indian sandstone — a deliberate move to bounce daylight around the plot and warm the space. Pale, light-reflective paving is one of the most effective tools for a shaded garden, and here it does much of the heavy lifting.

Bespoke timber pergola. Rather than crowd the garden with competing features, the design committed to one clear architectural gesture — a hand-built timber pergola that gives height and a strong focal point without closing the space down.

Planting. The planting is structured but soft: clipped Ilex crenata provides crisp evergreen form and a year-round backbone, while looser ornamental grasses and Lavandula add movement, scent and seasonal softness. Ilex crenata earns its place as a tidy, shade-tolerant alternative to box, holding sharp structure even in lower light.

Fence replacement. The old fence had begun to collapse and was no longer secure, so we installed new close-board fencing — a solid, long-lasting boundary that also reads as a clean backdrop for the planting.

Contemporary relaxation and dining area. Comfort and style drove this zone: a generous, sociable space for relaxing and dining that makes the most of the new light and the shelter of the pergola.

Throughout, the modern update keeps a respectful balance with the Victorian semi behind it. Materials and detailing were chosen to sit comfortably against the period architecture rather than fight it — the kind of judgement that comes from thirty years and three generations of design-and-build experience under Craig Davis BSc (Hons) Horticulture.

Description of works

The renovation was delivered in clearly defined stages, to protect quality and keep disruption to the household to a minimum:

• Removal and responsible disposal of the old concrete patio
• Ground preparation, levelling and a compacted sub-base
• Precise laying and jointing of the Indian sandstone paving
• Brick edging for contrast and durability
• Removal of unsafe fencing and installation of new close-board panels
• Construction of the bespoke timber pergola, including foundations and roof structure
• Planting: clipped Ilex crenata structure, ornamental grasses and lavender
• Final tidy, clean and client handover

Results

The garden now reflects light back into the house and feels considerably wider, despite boundaries that never moved. A cold, dark yard has become a calm, contemporary room outdoors — proof of what considered design can do with a difficult aspect, and the kind of result that sits behind our 5.0 rating across 51 Google reviews.