Average time: 2 mins
Expert garden renovation services in Islington, N1. Trusted by homeowners across London Borough of Islington.
Islington's Victorian terrace gardens are typically long, narrow plots that have accumulated decades of neglect and ad-hoc additions. SOM Development transforms these overlooked spaces into beautifully designed outdoor rooms that extend your living space and enhance your property's value.
The classic Islington garden measures approximately 5 metres wide by 10-15 metres long, bounded by high brick walls on each side. We work with these proportions to create a sense of depth and discovery, using changes of level, distinct planting zones, and carefully placed focal points to make the garden feel larger than its footprint suggests. Properties along Thornhill Square, Lonsdale Square, and the Canonbury streets all benefit from this approach.
Our Islington garden renovations typically include hard landscaping—natural stone or porcelain paving, bespoke timber decking, and rendered raised planters—combined with a planting scheme that provides year-round interest while requiring manageable maintenance. We also install outdoor lighting, automated irrigation, and garden storage that is designed to be attractive as well as functional.
For properties with rear extensions, we design the garden as an integral part of the indoor-outdoor flow, ensuring that materials, levels, and sightlines create a seamless connection between the kitchen-diner and the outdoor space.
Islington's terrace gardens share common characteristics: narrow width, reasonable depth, high boundary walls, and often a north-facing orientation. These constraints require thoughtful design to create attractive, usable outdoor spaces. The high boundary walls can create sheltered microclimates that support surprisingly diverse planting.
A well-designed garden significantly enhances an Islington terrace's appeal and value. In a borough where outdoor space is limited, a beautifully renovated garden is a genuine selling point and a daily pleasure for the homeowner.
“Our Canonbury garden was a mess of cracked concrete and overgrown shrubs. SOM designed a gorgeous multi-level space with limestone paving, a raised herb garden, and subtle lighting. It has become our favourite room in the house—and it is outside.”
George & Natasha V.
Canonbury, Islington
Three simple steps to your new garden renovation in Islington.
We visit your garden, understand how you want to use the space, and create a design concept that works with your home and lifestyle.
You receive a clear, itemised quote covering all materials, landscaping, and construction costs with a defined timeline.
Our landscaping and construction team brings your garden to life — from groundwork and drainage to planting and finishing touches.
We use diagonal paving patterns, lateral planting beds, and horizontal design elements to draw the eye across the garden. Mirrors on boundary walls, side-mounted lighting, and carefully chosen furniture also help create a sense of width.
Sawn natural limestone or sandstone provides a timeless, high-quality finish. Large-format porcelain pavers are an excellent low-maintenance alternative. Both options work well with the London stock brick boundaries typical of Islington gardens.
Absolutely. We design the garden and the extension as a coordinated project, ensuring that floor levels, threshold details, material choices, and sightlines create a seamless indoor-outdoor living experience.
Get a free, no-obligation quote and find out how we can bring your vision to life.
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