8 Summer-Ready UK Garden Ideas

A modern take on the secret garden, this tranquil back garden is as intimate as it is peaceful. The perfect space to relax, the garden has a dining area, a private reading space and a cascading water feature.

Bright cream stone offers a light contrast with the wealth of foliage and the lofty tree canopy that covers the garden creating a floor of picturesque dappled light.

Wicker chairs and a round teak dining table reflect the natural feel of the space. Keeping other furniture and decoration to a minimum, the Todhunter Earle-designed garden shows how the beauty of a garden belongs to the plants it holds.

Set in the heart of the Cotswolds, the leafy estate attached to this Grade II listed barn conversion is the epitome of country living done right.

When you combine quintessential British style with a terrace garden, you hope it will turn out something close to this. With its olive trees and bare brick walls, this space feels like the true meaning of a city escape.

“A good flow from inside to outside and vice versa is important across all our projects” notes Banda’s founder Edo Mapelli Mozzi. “In this Notting Hill apartment, the properties overlook a garden square to the front and lead out onto a spacious terrace to the rear. Double doors lead directly out to a large terrace dressed with generous planting and foliage and attractive garden furniture. The two sculptures are by notable sculptor David Williams-Ellis, who is renowned for his incredible work with bronze and creating movement through his pieces.”

Under some very British-appropriate shelter, this cosy outdoor area is centred around a built-in fireplace. Flanked on either side by a triptych of log stores (a delight for the texture lovers), this space mimics a living room whilst enjoying all the atmosphere of an outdoor space.

For this fresh London roof garden, Katharine Pooley has created a space perfect for relaxing and entertaining. Tying the large space together, Pooley has chosen a warm orange-toned wood for both the dining chairs and the living area. Complete with a TV and fire pit, this open-air space will get plenty of use.

An area for stylish outdoor dining is essential for a Summer spent outdoors. This terrace has been divided into two distinct zones, one for dining and the other for relaxing. By segmenting the patio space the area appears larger and allows for a more sophisticated feel.

"Whether we are designing an interior or an outdoor seating area, we always use nature as a point of inspiration" notes founder and creative director Emma Sims Hilditch. "I love to use rattan chairs decorated with colourful cushions as they work perfectly with natural surroundings making the garden almost feel like part of the landscape." "Generally, when painting the exterior doors and windows of a property that faces on to the garden, we advise being mindful to choose shades that don’t jar with the natural surroundings. Farrow and Ball’s Pigeon is a great option here."