Jane Hobbs’ swish new outside space in north London showcases her passion for ALL THINGS ITALIAN
When Jane Hobbs bought her 1930s house back in December 2019, the sloping garden was a humdrum space not dissimilar to any of her new neighbours’ plots. “It was mainly laid to lawn with some old apple trees and small borders, with fig trees and a wonderful mature wisteria,” remembers Jane.
But this conventional outdoor scene was far too mundane for Jane, a keen gardener who appreciates nature, wildlife – and Italian garden style. She wasted no time in engaging garden designer Matthew Haddon (haddon.studio) to switch up the dull vista into a far more characterful space with striking Mediterranean vibes.
Having worked with Matthew on a previous garden in Yorkshire, Jane knew she was in safe hands. “Matthew has a good process that explores what it is you really want from a garden,” she says. And what exactly did Jane have her heart set on? Matthew reveals, “Jane wanted a lushly planted garden that worked as an extension of the house and blended with its contemporary finish. It also had to have a romanticism to it, and a feeling of Italian formality too, creating that tension between the planting and hard landscaping.” The dream was a far cry from the dated garden Jane had inherited, with its crazy paving and dilapidated raised terrace.
“The garden was basically a blank canvas with some great fig trees!” laughs Matthew.
Add a soothing leafy sphere to your plot, p102
BEFORE
AFTER
Boscombe Table, from £335, Chairs, £195 each, neptune.co
Bois de Bourgogne paving, POA, arcturusstones.com
GARDEN makeover
Planter, POA, urbisdesign.co.uk
Got a sloping plot too? Turn to p42
