Spa Valley Hideaway

A hillside garden design in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, transforming exposed terraces into intimate spaces with prairie planting and elegant screening.

Tunbridge Wells Garden Design – A Layered Hillside Garden with Long Views

This garden design project in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, occupies a commanding hillside position overlooking the Spa Valley. A decisive, and ultimately transformative, decision to remove a row of mature Leylandii trees prompted the client to rethink the entire garden. While the removal opened up what should have been a spectacular view, it also revealed an unfortunate dominance from a neighbouring property that needed to be carefully addressed.

The existing garden was already structured across the slope, with a series of terraces accommodating a swimming pool, tennis court, and open lawns. Our task was to work sympathetically with this framework while refining the layout to create more intimate, usable spaces and improve privacy without sacrificing light or openness.

We reinforced the garden’s strong horizontal bands, using a combination of decking and paving to define distinct entertaining areas within the wider landscape. These spaces now feel purposeful and sheltered, encouraging use throughout the day and into the evening.

Previously awkward grass banks were transformed into richly planted slopes, filled with long-flowering perennials that stabilise the ground and introduce colour, texture, and movement. A classic blend of perennials and ornamental grasses extends the season of interest, while also softening the garden’s linear structure.

To resolve the issue of overlooking, we introduced a carefully judged layer of naturalistic, prairie-style planting, combined with elegant curves in the hard landscaping and ground plan. Lines of pleached trees provide effective screening, filtering views of neighbouring properties while maintaining a sense of space and rhythm across the site.

The result is a confident hillside garden that balances openness with enclosure, a landscape that celebrates its setting while offering privacy, structure, and long-term beauty.