Landscape architecture by Olga Czokajło of Romaniuk Studio
Water is often the life of a garden – but here, it was the biggest obstacle. On this compact site in Warsaw, Poland, a persistently high groundwater table swelled after rain, leaving the ground waterlogged and suffocating young roots before they had the chance to take hold.
From the street, the section looked straightforward – a bare plot surrounding a semi-detached villa, with only two small hawthorns breaking up the space. Its real strength lay just beyond the boundary, where mature vegetation from neighbouring gardens offered a ready-made green backdrop.
But beneath the surface, the sodden soil told a different story. Heavy clay and standing water made planting near-impossible without intervention, and any new design would first need to address the conditions underfoot.
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The garden design
For the family of four who live here, the vision was clear: a garden that could be lived in, not just looked at. They imagined summer dinners garnished with homegrown herbs, conversations by the fire, and the relief of dipping toes into cool water on a hot day.
Privacy was just as important. The plot had long been open to its neighbours, and they wanted a more intimate connection with their outdoor space.
At the top of the wishlist was water – not the problem beneath the soil, but a reflective feature close to the house that could bring shimmer and serenity. Alongside this, the design needed to make room for a spa retreat with a hot tub and outdoor shower. All of it would be framed in clean geometry to echo the modern home, giving the garden both form and atmosphere.
The garden transformation
Just beyond the front gate, tucked out of the neighbours’ view, a modest kitchen garden grows with purpose. A mini glasshouse and potting table provide space to nurture seedlings, while a nearby outdoor kitchen, equipped with a barbecue and sink, makes alfresco cooking an everyday delight.
The true soul of the garden, though, is the expansive central timber deck. Partially shaded by a modern and simple gazebo. This space has become the centre of family life.
A water feature was custom designed and built to feel both sculptural and serene. Two steel basins linked by a gentle cascade create a looped water cycle that’s continually filtered and automatically replenished. A UV system keeps good quality of water without chemicals – an important detail for properties with pets and other wild animals or insects visiting the garden.
The spa pavilion will come in a later phase – but already, the outdoor shower is in place, elegantly enclosed in vertical slatted timber for a sense of retreat. Nearby, a minimal firewood store (equal parts function and sculpture) marks the fire pit zone.
The entire garden is enclosed with a layered mix of hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) screening hedges and glossy Cotoneaster, providing full enclosure without compromising on elegance.
Finally, the soggy soil was revived. A new drainage system was installed, and heavy clay was loosened with sand.
The result
A defining feature of this garden is water. Two steel basins linked by a gentle cascade form a reflective cycle that brings movement and sound, while supporting birds, insects and amphibians.
Despite its compact scale, the garden feels expansive. Enclosure is provided by layered hornbeam and Cotoneaster hedging, while structured paths and planting create a calm, functional layout. Timber decking, an outdoor shower and fire pit extend family life outdoors, with the garden working as a natural extension of the home.
Through careful drainage and planting suited to moist conditions, the space has been transformed into a private, resilient garden that balances everyday use with a strong sense of atmosphere.
Key Plant List
The planting scheme features species well-suited to moist conditions, including:
Trees & shrubs
- Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)
- Carpinus betulus (hornbeam – used for screening hedges)
- Cotoneaster lucidus (shiny cotoneaster)
- Hydrangea paniculata ‘Phantom’ (panicled hydrangea)
- Salix purpurea ‘Nana’ (dwarf purple willow)
- Taxus baccata (yew – used as low hedges to articulate the formal geometry of the garden and reinforce its structured character)
Ornamental grasses
- Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ (variegated sedge)
- Hakonechloa macra (Japanese forest grass)
- Molinia caerulea (purple moor grass)
- Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Fontäne’ (Chinese silver grass)
- Sesleria autumnalis (autumn moor grass)
Perennials
- Astrantia major (great masterwort)
- Geranium ‘Rozanne’
- Hedera helix (common ivy)
- Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender)
- Pachysandra terminalis (Japanese pachysandra)
- Paeonia lactiflora (Chinese peony)
- Rodgersia aesculifolia (chestnut-leaved Rodgersia)
Bulbous plants:
- Allium giganteum ‘Globemaster’ (ornamental onion)
- Muscari armeniacum (garden grape-hyacinth)
- Narcissus (daffodil)
