From the moment you arrive at Theresa and David Osen’s Surrey home, their front garden tells you this is no ordinary plot. Wisps of Stipa gigantea and Stipa tenuissima drift lazily in the breeze, while a loose, joyful tangle of Salvia nemorosa ‘Amethyst’, Geranium clarkei ‘Kashmir White’, spurges and fleabane create a planting palette that evokes warmer climes on even the greyest of days.
In brief: a leafy family garden in Surrey
- What Small suburban family garden with multifunctional spaces and planting for wildlife.
- Where Surrey.
- Size 14m x 13m (rear garden) and L-shaped garden of roughly 87 square metres at front.
- Soil Freely draining, slightly acid loam.
- Aspect East-facing.
But it is behind the house where the full narrative of this garden unfolds: a masterclass in considered design, this is a multifunctional, family friendly retreat that is also wildlife-rich, sustainable and effortlessly elegant.
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The garden didn’t always look quite so lovely. For years it had been a functional family garden, but during lockdown, when Theresa found herself working full time at her kitchen table, she realised something needed to change. “I was spending more time at home, looking out onto this uninspiring patch,” she says. “It just wasn’t working for us any more.”
Theresa is one half of garden-focused marketing and PR partnership Hind+Osen, so is a seasoned observer of design talent, and the style of designer Tabitha Rigden of Rigden Studio, whom she’d met the previous year at an industry event, had stuck in her mind. “I loved her approach,” says Theresa. “She was all about sustainability and wildlife, so I picked up the phone and said: ‘I’ve got this tiny little garden, would you come and have a look?’”
Tabitha immediately saw the potential in a garden that really just lacked cohesion. Theresa’s brief was relatively simple but had some fairly specific requests. At the front, she hoped to evoke the spirit of the Delos garden at Sissinghurst, while at the rear she wanted to create a haven for entertaining, with a strong sense of privacy and rich planting for pollinators.
At the front, the influence of Sissinghurst’s Delos garden sets the tone: textural planting, gentle movement and seasonal interest
And while she and her husband were keen to avoid any traditional play equipment or overtly ‘family’ features, they were eager to make it a space the whole family (including Kobi the dog) could enjoy. “I wasn’t very prescriptive,” says Theresa, “but we did want a lawn and a shed.”
There are no fixed zones or rigid structures; instead, paved and gravel areas create fluid, multifunctional spaces
Tabitha has included both and succeeded in bringing a sense of unity to the small space. By using a simple palette of materials – clay pavers and limestone self-binding gravel – she has ensured the garden feels open, while creating a flexible layout the family can adapt to their needs.
There are no fixed zones or rigid structures. Instead, a series of paved and gravel areas create fluid, multifunctional spaces that allow the family to change how they use the garden throughout the day.
In the morning they can catch the sun near the east-facing border for a relaxed coffee, then move their lightweight table and chairs to the sun-warmed terrace for lunch. At the end of the day, a secluded seating area, surrounded by lush planting, is the perfect spot for the family to gather on summer evenings.
It makes me smile every time I come home.
A sweep of layered planting, including grasses, shrubs and perennials, separates this area from the generous lawn, while a trio of multi-stemmed Malus ‘Evereste’ trees screen it, bringing a touch of mystery to the garden and offering several seasons of interest. Their spring blossom gives way to tiny crab apples that persist throughout autumn and winter, providing food for birds.
Sustainability runs as a thread through the entire garden. Existing laurels at the back were retained, their crowns lifted and their root systems preserved by banking soil and securing the gradient with jute matting and plants. The old terrace slabs were repurposed to form a base for the shed, and demolished materials were crushed and reused as hardcore beneath paving and gravel, reducing waste and cost.
Now the garden has had time to settle in, it is clear how clever this design is; a truly immersive space that transcends its size. The rear garden invites movement and discovery, while at the front, the influence of Sissinghurst’s Delos garden sets the tone: textural planting, gentle movement and seasonal interest – and completely unlike anything else you’ll see in this corner of suburban Surrey. “It makes me smile every time I come home,” says Theresa.
Useful information
Find out more about Tabitha Rigden’s work at rigdenstudio.co.uk
Words: Humaira Ikram