Gardens and driveways for Dulwich’s Georgian houses, Victorian and Edwardian terraces and 1930s family homes: a terrace for summer lunches, a lawn under the old trees, and a front garden that keeps the street’s character.
Dulwich has been shaped by one estate for four centuries. Edward Alleyn bought the manor in 1605 and founded his College of God’s Gift in 1619; its successor, the Dulwich Estate, still owns around 1,500 acres here.
Through its Scheme of Management the Estate still controls much of what changes, which is a large part of why ‘leafy Dulwich’ looks the way it does: generous front and back gardens, mature trees, and boundary walls, railings and hedges along the street.
A garden here has two sets of rules to satisfy, and it deserves to be planned with both in mind from the start.
Generous front gardens and long back gardens under mature trees. Natural stone, brick and planting that suit the house and the street.
Long, narrow gardens broken into rooms: a terrace by the house, lawn in the middle, a quiet seat at the end.
Built between 1920 and 1922 and now a conservation area. Gardens that keep the estate’s character and work for family life.
Front gardens with room for planting and parking, and back gardens ready for a proper family layout.
Dulwich sits on London Clay. Clay holds water through winter, then shrinks and cracks in a dry summer, and big trees draw even more moisture out of it, which is why lawns turn boggy and patios laid on a thin base start to move.
Dulwich falls under the London Borough of Southwark, and much of it is also covered by the Dulwich Estate’s Scheme of Management. We check every design against both before we quote, and manage any applications for you.
Complete makeovers for Dulwich’s larger gardens, planned as one project and around the Estate’s approval.
Terraces in stone and porcelain, built on a deep base for Dulwich clay.
Permeable driveways that leave room for planting, with crossover applications handled.
Privacy for terraced gardens, built within Southwark’s height limits.
The places that shape how Dulwich looks, and often inspire the gardens we build here.
Opened in 1890 on what had been farmland, part of the old Court Farm.
Designed by Sir John Soane and opened in 1817, the oldest public art gallery in England.
Its lake is the only substantial stretch of the River Effra still above ground.
With Sydenham Hill Wood, the largest surviving part of the old Great North Wood, and the heart of a conservation area.
Pale stone-effect paving and paths around a traditional brick house, bordered by lawn and raised stone features.
A broad pale-grey terrace beside the house with a raised perimeter and steps down to the lower garden.
A light paved courtyard and path beside a natural-stone house, with stone-clad raised beds and planted borders.
“My husband and I are very pleased with the job that was done on the landscaping in front of our new home. I recommend this company without hesitation. The guys were always friendly and communicated everything with us as they went along. It is beautiful to see when we pull into our driveway everyday. Thank you so much and keep up the good work.”
“Guaranteed Great Gardens built the concrete walls around our house. They did the job with great care and precision. Their professionalism and quality were evident at every step. I am truly pleased with their work. I will definitely choose them again if I have to do a similar job in the future.”
If your freehold is on the Estate, significant garden changes, sheds and garden buildings, and felling or pruning trees all need the Estate’s prior approval, on top of any council consent. We check which applies to your home before we quote.
Sometimes. More than 5m² of non-permeable surface needs planning permission, a dropped kerb needs Southwark Council’s approval, and in Dulwich Village the council treats paving over front gardens as harmful to the area. We design permeable drives that keep planting and boundaries where we can.
Yes. We plan paving and foundations to protect roots. Felling or pruning on the Estate needs its approval, and in a conservation area most tree work needs six weeks’ notice to Southwark.
Yes. Many Dulwich terraces are like this. We protect floors and hallways and plan deliveries carefully.
Book a free design visit. We’ll talk about how you want to use your garden or drive, and what the ground and the rules mean for it.
Your enquiry is with our design team. We’ll be in touch within one working day to book your free visit.