New Build Garden

New Build Garden

So you’ve bought a brand-new house – firstly, congratulations! There’s something truly special about being the first through the door, knowing that you and your loved ones have the chance to make this house into a home for the very first time; to put your mark on it.

However, new-builds present significant challenges. First and foremost: where to begin? The notion of a ‘blank canvass’ can be rather daunting, leading many people to take no action at all beyond simply moving in! And then there’s the knowledge that a newly built property is probably occupying what used to be a field, once home to various species of plants and animals. There’s therefore a responsibility to give back. On both these scores, it is actually your new garden, the ‘largest room in your house’, which presents the best opportunity to really feel great about your new home, as this article will demonstrate.

The sheer amount of development in southern England is the subject of many a complaint. From the neighbours building an extension to central government pressurising district councils into a ‘build at all costs’ mentality, people are rightly concerned about housing encroachment on scarce green spaces. But people need to live somewhere. The solution must be to ensure that all new developments are as considerate and environmentally friendly as possible.

However, when it comes to gardens, which typically take up at least half the footprint of a property, developers are routinely unimaginative at best, and at worst thoroughly negligent towards nature. You are lucky if there are any plantings at all, and if there are, these are likely to be ‘amenity landscape’-type plants, especially in front gardens. In short, in the vast majority of cases, nature is definitely not at the heart of the developer’s strategy. But their appeal to the lowest common denominator actually gives you a fantastic opportunity.

The great news is that Gardens for Good can offer you a brilliant, simple and cost-effective consultation service. Not only do we have decades of experience, but we are also constantly innovating, restless in our pursuit of natural perfection.  Basically, the creative process just really excites us! Allow us to fuel your imagination, or to help you refine the ideas you already have, and you’ll be amazed at the possibilities. We work closely with you, with great sensitivity to ensure you are delighted with the end product. And for us, the ‘blank canvas’ means we can be not only extra imaginative but also extra efficient, delivering better value for you. That’s because there are few costly mistakes to undo, unlike in more established gardens, where taking out whole hedges, trees or other unwanted features can be a time-consuming, destructive, labour-intensive process.

Speaking of trees, hedges, and plants in general, we take pride in helping you choose the most appropriate ones possible for your space. That means ones which look great. It means ones which are a good match for your garden’s soil, aspect, drainage, and other natural features. Ones which create a thriving ecosystem you’ll love being a part of.

You see, our passion for the environment is such that we will ensure you end up with a garden that ‘gives back’. Whilst it is true that new developments often detract from nature, it doesn’t have to be this way. Chances are, new housing is built on agricultural land where, due to monoculture farming, the level of biodiversity was actually low in comparison to its true potential. This presents a real opportunity: imagine if every garden in a new development was designed and planted in a genuinely nature-friendly way. We could turn an ecological desert into a thriving mosaic of different habitats, benefitting species at all levels of the food chain, from bees and butterflies to birds and hedgehogs.

Hedgehogs are an interesting case in point. It’s well documented that Britain’s best-loved native mammal is in rapid decline due to loss of habitat caused by insensitive development, farming methods and so on. Hedgehogs need corridors of safe green space in which to forage, find other hedgehogs, and well, do what hedgehogs do! Gardens can either help or hinder them. For instance, hedgehog gates, wild corners for nests, and abundance of natural food all contribute to their survival. At Gardens for Good, our designs intentionally incorporate hedgehog-friendly features, taking into account the specifics of your local environment to give the hog it’s best fighting chance.

We also take a similar approach to safeguarding the future of numerous other at-risk species. New build gardens do not have to be sterile. With the right approach, we can quickly create a warm, characterful green space that you can feel truly proud of. A space which combines form and function for all its inhabitants.

So, why wait for the chance to turn your new house into a home? By perfecting your garden as soon as possible, you will derive the maximum benefit from it, as you nurture it and it nurtures you in return, year after year. Not only that, but you may significantly add to the value of your property should you come to sell in the future.

A new build garden can be a carbon copy of its neighbours, a mere conformist, just keeping up with the Joneses. Or it can be distinctive, unique, stylish, sustainably at ease with itself, blazing its own trail. The choice is yours!

Like what you see? Get in touch today to see how we can help with your next project.

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