Design ethos
Beautiful – Useful – Biodiverse
It goes without saying that gardens should be beautiful. This can be a harmonious, restorative kind of beauty, or a bold, striking kind – or both! But a garden can be much more than this, providing a biodiverse haven for wildlife, a place for us to reconnect with nature, or a refuge filled with scents and tastes to bring to our tables.
The Urban Potager specialises in modern, wildlife friendly, and ornamental-edible garden design. We frequently use edimentals (perennial plants that are both edible and ornamental) in our designs, since such plants provide a gateway into connecting with nature in a visceral sense – by eating it! We believe that the best planting design is always striking to look at, whilst also providing food (or habitat) for humans and local wildlife alike. In fact, the times we live in call for such gardens more than ever, since both humans and other creatures need sanctuary from the busy modern world.
Sustainable
Sustainability is at the heart of our designs. We achieve this by specifying plants that are climate adapted and suited to individual microclimates in your garden. Such plants demand little watering or extra care, leading to a long lived and less resource-dependent garden. We also aim to work with the existing soil, topography, and landscaping where practical in order to create low environmental impact spaces suited to local conditions. Wherever possible we use local, ethical or renewable materials.
Designed
What sets apart a garden which has been designed?
There are many lovely gardens which were initially ‘unplanned’, but by starting with a design you are ensured a space that is immediately striking, cohesive, and fluid.
We develop our brief by drawing on your visions or desires, and responding sensitively to the site – weighing up practical matters such as light and soil conditions, as well as the more subtle sense of place or atmosphere. Two further things in particular set our designs apart. First, our creative use of space, which often surprises and delights clients when we discuss initial plans. Second, we draw on extensive plant knowledge to produce designs with year-round, long-lasting visual interest - we aim to create spaces that offer something to humans and wildlife alike in every month of the year.