From a poor and basic lawn, costing time and money each month to mow, Ruth's garden has been transformed into a permaculture paradise with South African overtones. 

A key feature of the new garden is that it has absorbed 18 tonnes of waste concrete, transforming it into beauty and function.

Front Garden – South African Snake Path

The front garden was transformed from a scrubby lawn which shed water to the street in a downpour, with little to offer wildlife or the soil life, to a permaculture paradise offering food, soil growth, wildlife habitat, water capture and more. The sit-spot, made of recycled timber, enables contemplation, observation and interaction with nature. The path captures water and invites slow thoughtful movement through the space.

Reclaiming the front garden for nature meant cardboarding over the lawn, then adding compost and mulch. The special 'dry river' path is designed to capture water runoff and soak it into the land as well as providing a fantastic insect habitat in all the nooks and crannies.

Back Garden – Food Forest and Mandala Keyhole Garden

The back garden, once a scrubby lawn and mosquito-ridden damp patch, now provides food, journeying and a wildlife paradise.

The garden includes a half-barrel fish pond, providing water for birds, while the fish deal with the mosquito problem. A mandala garden design allows for easy access to annual crops, whilst the scrubby lawn has been replaced by sweet smelling bark-mulch, evoking a forest floor. The soil can now breathe and soil life can thrive.

Ruth, is a Nature based coach and her new garden has become an important part of her work. Ruth's clients can now take a journey around her garden, interact with nature, food and just sit and take in the sounds, sights and smells.