ON THE RISE

When faced with the challenge of this small, steeply sloping garden, Miria Harris took an unconventional approach to elevate it into a calm and nurturing sanctuary

- WORDS JODIE JONES

Looking out from the lower-ground floor of Julie Harkin’s Victorian terraced home, a swaying mass of soft, green planting completely fills your view.

The effect is calm, nurturing, and a million miles away from the bustle and traffic of the busy north London enclave where she lives with her husband and young son.

“Four years ago, we did a massive renovation on the house, including a new rear extension, but I wanted the garden to set the tone,” says Julie. With lots of ideas but no horticultural experience, she trawled the internet and soon discovered landscape designer Miria Harris, who specialises in ecologically sensitive gardens. “Her work felt like nothing I had seen anywhere before – soft and wild, with a truly artistic aesthetic.”