Butter Wakefield works her magic on a once-overgrown garden in Barnes
'Look, a mint moth!' says Butter Wakefield, peering into the ribbon of wild meadow that cuts through the lawn of this mid-Victorian house in Barnes. Much admired for her stylish, plant-filled gardens, she is making it her mission to bring biodiversity to city spaces. As she marvels at the tiny insect resting its dark purple and orange wings, it is clear she is alive to its many rewards - both large and small.
At the heart of her design for the garden is a kidney-shaped lawn, its gentle curves further softened by the serpentine form of the wild meadow. It is surrounded by an environmentally friendly Breedon gravel path following the line of the existing terrace, which owners Valerie and Alan Marshall wished to preserve. 'Valerie is out there all the time and we wanted a safe way for Alan, who is 90, and any friends with limited mobility to join her,' says Butter.
The gently winding path is flanked by beds and borders. Planted generously in a relaxed, romantic style, these contain Valerie's favourite roses and clematis, and other cottage garden delights, such as nepeta, foxgloves and peonies. In the more formal rear third of the garden, which is divided from the lawn by a border of old and new multi-stemmed trees, including amelanchier and malus, Butter has prioritised vistas, and created spots to sit and enjoy them. At its centre is a pergola, arching over the little round pond and swathed in roses and clematis. It perfectly frames views of a greenhouse - currently filled with pelargoniums and tomato plants - at one end, and a handsome oak bench at the other.
Valerie, a modest but very capable gardener, had also asked Butter to include a decent-sized lawn for the grandchildren and a Victorian-style greenhouse by Alitex. Having grown interested in wildlife-friendly gardening when looking after the 60 acres of land attached to her previous house in Yorkshire, Valerie welcomed the elements of Butter's scheme designed to encourage biodiversity.
Nearly all the plants were chosen for their pollinator-attracting qualities, and there are two ponds and a no-pesticides policy. 'When it was raining the other day, I collected over 100 slugs and took them to the river,' says Valerie. Worms, however, get five-star treatment. In the farthest corner of the garden, where a shepherd's hut once stood, is a composting area screened by yew hedging.
The meadow, now a haven for insect life, arrived as turf comprising native wildflowers, herbs and flowering perennials on a degradable felt backing. Valerie has threaded in annuals and more perennials, including astrantia, scabiosa and nicotiana. 'It needs managing, as it likes to migrate. I do lots of weeding and cut it back in mid-summer, then leave it over winter as a habitat for wildlife.'
Valerie and Alan moved to London in 2021 to be close to their family, and chose this house mainly because of its large, almost square garden. 'It's sensational, especially for London,' enthuses Butter. However, it was tired, sad and overgrown, with an old sunken greenhouse, a shepherd's hut and some dubious garden art. 'It needed someone bold enough to do a total overhaul,' says Valerie.
Butter was recommended by one of the couple's daughters and it is clear from the warmth of their relationship that she was the perfect fit, as was Barry Thomas of Urban Meadows who worked with Butter to realise her design. Today, the garden looks like it could belong to a house in a pretty village. New trellis above the boundary walls helps, as does the aspect, offering views of mature trees and the Edwardian tower of a neighbouring property. 'I wanted it to be an easy garden to be in,' observes Butter. It is exactly that - welcoming, unpretentious, quietly joyful and full of life.
Butter Wakefield Garden Design: butterwakefield.co.uk
Alister Thorpe1/5Looking from the greenhouse to the glazed garden room and east-facing terrace beside it.
Alister Thorpe2/5A plant-filled urn on a pedestal, seen through the rose-clad arches of the pergola above the pond, is the focal point of one of the vistas created by Butter throughout the garden.
Alister Thorpe3/5Tall, dark Papaver somniferum 'Lauren's Grape', pink and cream roses, nepeta and orange Geum 'Prinses Juliana' are set off by the ferny foliage of Foeniculum vulgare in a border.
Alister Thorpe4/5Scented pelargoniums brighten a shelf in the greenhouse, where tomatoes also thrive.
Alister Thorpe5/5Nepeta, rosemary and an existing Rosa ‘Guinée’ surround a rustic bench, placed to catch the afternoon sun.
