Another challenging brief in Southeast London, this garden was heavily overshadowed by lots of mature trees, they provided a lush green back drop and a never ending stream of wildlife. It also meant that there was limited light in most parts, a few gaps where beams of lights streamed through, but the soil was dry and the conditions were challenging. In addition to this, the budget was very limited, so we needed to keep things simple yet effective and work out how best to make the most out of the garden, without breaking the bank.

The clients, a young family with children and a dog, wanted a place for everyone to use, but low maintenance, as both parents worked. The house was a modern townhouse and the garden viewed from above from each floor, so the garden had to look great from every level.

We used a selection of architectural planting that was mainly evergreen and painted the retaining walls aubergine to set off the endless greenery from the surrounding landscape. Lastly, we used artificial lawn, as this was the best solution for a deeply shadowed and dry, high traffic garden with visiting sandpit, paddling pool, trampoline, and dogs doing what they do.

We would normally do everything we can to cram as many plants as possible into a garden that would sustainably work. But sustainability here was the key, by using artificial lawn we could guarantee a low maintenance area for all to use, and by surrounding the garden with a good choice of low maintenance planting we were getting this family outdoors regularly and living a healthier more sustainable lifestyle…

Project Manager: Mark Holman