Concrete 2.0

The Concrete 2.0 garden (supported by Red Rhino Crushers) demonstrates that it is possible to choose sustainable and reclaimed materials whilst creating a versatile, dynamic and beautiful outdoor space.

The garden showcases sustainable paving which has been produced in the UK with cement-free concrete and recycled aggregates. Recycled and reclaimed materials feature throughout the garden, including the reclaimed agricultural water troughs, reclaimed scaffold-board boundary screen and the rain channels and paving edgings made from reclaimed angle iron.

At a glance:

Who is this garden for? 
A young professional couple with a keen interest in sustainability.
Where is the garden set?  
A semi-urban domestic setting in the East Midlands.
Who or what is the design inspiration?
The garden is inspired by the urgent need for more sustainable and responsible approaches to domestic garden design and construction.

The garden also seeks to highlight the need for more responsible water management. The surface water captured by the studio roof is used to feed the water features, while rainwater falling on to the paving is returned directly to the ground via wide channels of loose recycled aggregates so that it can slowly filter naturally to underground aquifers.

Key sustainability points:

• More than 60% of the total space is devoted to planting.
• Sustainable UK-produced cement-free concrete paving created with recycled aggregates.
• Recycled & reclaimed materials used wherever possible.
• All surface water returned directly to the ground or the water features.

Repurposing:

The paving and water pools are to be relocated to a private domestic garden in the East Midlands. The trees and plants will be utilised on future planting projects. Similarly, the aggregates and other materials will be recovered and reused across future garden builds.