The Brief
Set in Rotherham, Langham House is a garden designed for a busy family who live with order and purpose. The clients approached us with a clear vision: to create a refined, functional space that reflects their sleek, modern lifestyle. They wanted a garden that would become an extension of their home. A space for entertaining friends and spending relaxed evenings outdoors. Low maintenance was essential, with a preference for year-round greenery over flowers, and stylish outdoor furniture was high on the priority list to support both intimate gatherings and large social events.
Design & Planting
From the outset, this garden was about clarity, contrast and comfort. We designed a formal contemporary space anchored by the largest patio we’ve ever built, a bold gesture of space and scale. We chose light grey porcelain slabs to give a polished, bright finish that’s easy to maintain and visually uncluttered.
The garden sits a step down from the house, so to transition smoothly from indoors to outdoors, we constructed wide basalt platforms grouted in black to complement the house’s windows and doors. This contrast between the basalt and porcelain allows the transition to feel intentional and striking, while hiding joins for a seamless effect.
Between the platforms, evergreen structure comes in the form of upright Yew topiary surrounded by clipped box, giving year-round shape and volume against the house. The patio itself is cleverly divided into four distinct zones: a dining area with a large round table seating twelve, a central planted bed with clipped box and a bespoke raised planter showcasing a sculptural multi stemmed Hawthorne, a lounging area with firepit for relaxed evenings, and a stainless steel water feature sat within a black steel planter and soft groundcover, adding a luxury hotel-style focal point.
To one side, a fully-equipped outdoor bar completes the setting, perfect for drinks & nibbles whilst socialising. Surrounding the patio, carefully layered borders of box, ferns and pleached hornbeam trees soften the hard lines of the space and provide privacy, structure and atmosphere year-round. The borders cleverly step back to allow central access to a large open lawn, while still completing the visual enclosure of the garden.
Considerations & Constraints
One of the biggest challenges with this project was access. With a large-scale build requiring heavy machinery, the garden’s side-only access became a sticking point. Fortunately, the boundary fencing hadn’t yet been completed during construction, and with the neighbour’s kind permission, we were able to move through their property. It required meticulous planning and added expense, not only to protect and restore their space, but to improve it once work was complete.
Success.
Now fully established, Langham House is everything the clients hoped for. An elegant, versatile space that suits their lifestyle beautifully. They use the garden frequently, whether hosting long summer evenings with friends or relaxing quietly around the firepit. The planting provides interest throughout the seasons, and the layout adapts effortlessly from peaceful retreat to lively gathering.
For our team, it was a project that highlighted the power of strong spatial planning and bold simplicity. Sometimes, a clean, structured garden can feel just as lush and welcoming as a densely planted one, and Langham House is proof of that. The result is a garden that feels polished yet personal, modern yet timeless, and absolutely fit for purpose.