self-sustaining Gravel Garden | London, UK | 2024

Client: Private Clients

Architect: ao-ft

Location: Walthamstow, London

Design

Architects Liz and Zach were designing and building their home, a project that reflected their skills and vision. The garden was designed to complement the clean, minimal lines of the wooden structure. Planting through gravel preserved the raw, uncluttered feel, with drought-tolerant plants, small trees, and large shrubs shaping the space. The house’s sunken ground floor allowed greenery to spill subtly into the interior, with plants whispering at the windows and softening the edges. Shadows were carefully considered, playing across the wooden walls and gravel paths, while the typical London setup of one sunny and one shaded fence was skilfully embraced in the planting design.