Coming June 2025

Client: The Association for Professional Landscapes (APL)
Show: Gardeners World Live 2025
Completed: Ongoing
Main contractor: Dan Ryan, Design it Landscapes

The brief

The ‘Where There's Water, There's Life’ garden highlights the vital connection between water, plants, people, and nature. It focuses on innovative design techniques that slow down water flow, ensuring it is conserved and used effectively in garden landscapes.

A playful ephemeral ‘rill’ connects from the pergola green roof to the pond, flowing past the deck, adding a soothing sound and visual interest, whilst capturing rainwater following a cloud burst. Natural overflows from the pond into a rain garden as well as permeable surfaces allow water to infiltrate into the ground below.

Habitat for wildlife, other than freshwater species, is nestled in amongst planting contributing to a garden oasis for wildlife. Whilst a shady seating area offers the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the pond's tranquil beauty.

By combining beauty with sustainability, this garden demonstrates how thoughtful design can enhance both the aesthetic and ecological value of outdoor spaces, creating environments where water nurtures life, promotes biodiversity, and strengthens our bond with the natural world.