Woodland Garden Design in Forest Hill, South London

This garden in Forest Hill formed one section of a long shared garden behind a period house in South London. Set among mature trees, the area had a strong woodland feel from the beginning, but it was heavily shaded and sloped enough that there was very little usable flat space.

The client wanted their section of the garden to feel like somewhere worth going to rather than simply an area at the far end of the plot. They were looking for a peaceful retreat with room to dine and relax, while still making the most of the woodland setting that already gave the garden much of its character.

The Brief for This Forest Hill Garden

Because this was part of a shared garden, privacy was important, particularly at times when neighbours might be using the space as well. The distance from the house also meant the garden needed to feel comfortable and self-contained once you reached it, so the garden design had to create a strong sense of place without losing the natural character of the site.

The slope was one of the main practical considerations because the existing ground made it difficult to use the space comfortably. Rather than trying to flatten the whole area, I wanted to work with the levels and create a sequence of usable spaces that followed the garden upwards.

Working With the Levels of a Sloping Garden

The design developed around three connected platforms, each positioned at a different level so the garden could be used naturally without fighting against the slope.

The first platform was designed for dining, creating a level area where the family could sit comfortably and spend time together. From there, the garden rises to a second platform used as a play area for their child, before continuing to the highest level where a more relaxed lounging space was created.

This arrangement allowed each part of the garden to have a clear purpose while still feeling connected to the others. It also made access easier because movement through the garden could be controlled through a series of gradual changes in level rather than one difficult slope.

Creating Privacy Within a Shared Forest Hill Garden

Privacy had to be considered from several directions because the garden was overlooked both from neighbouring areas and from the house itself. The existing trees already helped create some separation, but the layout of the platforms also allowed each space to feel more enclosed without introducing heavy boundaries that would have looked out of place in the woodland setting.

By positioning the different areas carefully within the existing tree cover, the garden could feel private without losing the openness and depth created by the mature surroundings.

Woodland Planting for a Shaded Garden

The planting followed the character that was already present on the site rather than trying to introduce a completely different style. Ferns and tree ferns featured prominently because they suited the shade and helped reinforce the feeling of being within a woodland garden.

Lower planting was used to build up the sense of a forest floor, allowing the new planting to sit naturally beneath the existing trees. The intention was to make the garden feel established and connected to its surroundings, with the planting softening the edges of the new structures as it matured.

Decked Platforms That Sit Within the Woodland

One of the strongest parts of the finished garden is the way the decked platforms settle into the slope rather than appearing as separate structures placed on top of it. Breaking the garden into different levels made the space much easier to use, but it also meant that each platform could sit within the existing trees and planting in a way that felt much more natural.

The result is a garden that still reads as woodland first, but now has somewhere to dine, somewhere to play and somewhere to sit quietly at the highest point of the garden. That balance between usability and the existing setting is what made the design work so well.