Sustainable and Wildlife Friendly Garden Design, Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire
A sustainable garden using eco friendly materials to encourage wildlife in to this family garden in Hertfordshire.
This garden design project in Bishop’s Stortford was all about creating a space that felt relaxed, immersive and easy to spend time in. Somewhere that encouraged people to slow down a bit. A garden with movement, softness and plenty of planting, rather than lots of hard landscaping and sharp edges.
The design combines naturalistic perennial planting, ornamental grasses and sustainable materials to create a garden that feels calm, practical and full of life throughout the seasons.
There’s a gentle balance between structure and informality here. Areas for entertaining and sitting in the sun sit alongside looser planting designed to attract pollinators and support biodiversity, helping the garden feel alive rather than overly controlled.
The Brief
The clients wanted to transform their rear garden into a more sustainable and wildlife-friendly space that felt greener, softer and enjoyable throughout the year.
They were keen to create several places to relax and entertain, including a hammock area, seating for four and space for a BBQ, while still keeping the garden feeling open and natural rather than overly designed.
This project formed part of a wider extension build to the house, and thankfully I was brought in early in the process, before construction had begun. It meant the garden could be considered properly alongside the building work rather than becoming the bit everyone suddenly remembers once the builders leave.
By planning everything together from the outset, changes in level and garden steps could be integrated into the build itself, helping the house and garden feel much more connected.
Planting was always going to play a big part in this garden. The clients loved the idea of lush, layered borders filled with perennials, ornamental grasses and pollinator-friendly planting, with favourite plants including echinacea, poppies, iris and agapanthus. Warm tones, fiery reds and softer natural textures were all important to the feel of the space.
Although the garden would be planting-heavy, it also needed to feel manageable long term. The aim was to create something naturalistic and abundant without turning weekends into a full-time weeding commitment.
The Design
The garden was designed as a series of connected spaces, helping to break the layout into different areas for relaxing, entertaining and enjoying the planting, while still allowing the whole garden to feel open and flowing.
A bespoke Accoya decking area sits close to the house, with another in the garden itself carefully shaped to work with the slightly irregular layout, rather than forcing everything into straight lines for the sake of it. It creates a warm, inviting seating area that feels naturally connected to the house and garden.
A matching bespoke pergola adds structure and helps frame the space without making it feel enclosed.
Accoya was chosen not only because it looks beautiful, but because it is one of the most durable and sustainable timber options available. It’s incredibly stable, resistant to warping and splitting, and much kinder under bare feet in summer than some alternatives. Which matters more than people realise until someone yelps halfway across the patio in July.
Over time, the timber can either retain its warmer tones or gently weather into a softer silver-grey finish that works beautifully within naturalistic planting schemes.
Sahara Beige limestone was selected for the pathways and paved areas, bringing warmth and softness into the design through its natural colouring and texture. The lighter tones help keep the garden feeling bright and relaxed, while the material itself provides a durable and practical surface for everyday use.
Along the hedge line, an area of wildflower turf was introduced to help encourage pollinators and increase biodiversity within the garden. Within the main lawn area, high-quality turf creates a softer open space that gives the eye somewhere to rest amongst the planting and helps subtly divide the different garden zones.
Existing Leylandii hedging was retained to preserve privacy and maturity within the space, while additional planting helps soften boundaries and discreetly screen the heat pump without affecting ventilation.
The planting
Planting sits right at the centre of this garden and plays a huge role in creating its overall atmosphere.
The borders combine ornamental grasses, lush green planting and a wide variety of perennials chosen for their texture, movement and long season of interest. The aim was to create something that feels immersive and slightly wild in places, while still sitting comfortably within a modern family garden.
Spring and summer planting were particularly important to the clients, with warm reds, rich tones and softer naturalistic combinations helping bring energy and depth into the borders throughout the year.
The layered planting style not only creates movement and softness within the space, but also supports pollinators and wildlife, helping the garden function as a healthier ecosystem over time.
And yes, the beds may look beautifully spaced and sensible now, but anyone who knows perennials knows this is only temporary. Once established, the plants will absolutely boof out!
The Outcome
The result is a sustainable, wildlife-friendly garden that feels relaxed, immersive and deeply connected to nature.
By combining durable natural materials with richly layered planting, the garden balances practicality with softness, creating a space that feels enjoyable to live in throughout the seasons.
Different areas within the garden offer opportunities for entertaining, slowing down or simply sitting amongst the planting, while the overall design remains rooted in biodiversity, longevity and everyday usability.
Most importantly, it feels like a garden that belongs there. Calm, natural and designed to evolve beautifully over time.
Designed by: Zoe Kilbride Garden Design
Built by: Hard Craft Landsaping
“For me, this garden was about creating a space that felt softer, more natural and more connected to the surrounding environment. The planting plays a huge role in bringing movement, colour and biodiversity into the garden, while the sustainable material choices help ensure the space will age beautifully over time.”
Zoe Kilbride, Garden Designer
