the "oxford english dictionary" defines the use of "garden flat" in british english as "a basement or ground-floor flat with a view of and access to a garden or lawn", although its citations acknowledge that the reference to a garden may be illusory. "garden flat" can serve simply as a euphemism for a basement. the large georgian or victorian townhouse was built with an excavated subterranean space around its front known as an area, often surrounded by cast iron railings. this lowest floor housed the kitchen, the main place of work for the servants, with a "tradesman's entrance" via the area stairs. this "lower ground floor" (another euphemism) has proven ideal for conversion to a self-contained "garden flat". one american term for this arrangement is an english basement.