Secret Gardens

A Green Room in the Garden

Our garden studio project started out as an effort to solve an increasingly common domestic problem: the explosive combination of two young children, a dog and a husband and wife who both work from home. Noise levels within our home are unlikely to drop in the next ten to fifteen years and 'moving into the garden shed', as my husband still puts it, began to look increasingly like the most appealing solution. However, the project slowly evolved into something much more interesting and inspiring than the simple upgrading of a shed.

The Site

The site was carefully chosen to ensure we complied with planning regulations but equally so that we maximised sunshine and light throughout the year. The front of the studio faces south east and the side window faces west. We also wanted to look out on an attractive focal point and with the existing mature trees at the rear of the garden and the slightly rustic, woodland style we chose, this has been successfully achieved.

The Design

The size of the studio was dictated by reason and budget but the materials and methods of construction were dictated by the environment.

Foundations: after much research, I settled on using a system of six brick piers for the foundations. The building sits upon and is attached to these piers. This reduced the quantity of concrete normally required by the construction of a concrete plinth covering the footprint of the building. It also meant far less ground preparation and digging out and I pride myself in having avoided using a skip for the entire construction of the studio.

Timber: all timber for the building is FSC certified and the exterior timber is a combination of larch cladding and oak decking, all of which was sourced locally through the charity Scottish Wood. The timber windows and doors were constructed locally and are of a high quality to ensure ease of use, good security and longevity.

Insulation: after much research I settled on sheep's wool insulation rather than any of the manmade alternatives, despite the significant difference in cost. While cheaper ecologically friendly insulation materials are certainly available, the thought of our little studio wrapped up in sheep's wool was more appealing than recycled plastic bottles.

A Green Roof: from the start I was determined that we should look down from the rear windows of our house onto a garden building which blended as much as possible with its lush surroundings. The only difficulty was choosing from the many different green roof options: grass, wildflower, sedum, perennials and so on. In the end, I settled on sedum, largely for its evergreen performance and its low maintenance (I'm not good on a ladder). Some say it underperforms in terms of wildlife but this has not proved the case so far as its flowers have been well frequented by insects during the summer and birds, especially our resident blackbird, spend lengthy periods pecking for food or comfortably perched on the roof.

Internally: with tongue and groove cladding, the insulation and strength of the building were bolstered. Environmentally friendly paints and wood finishes keep the interior of the studio as 'green' as its exterior. I had a good deal of fun sourcing a reclaimed floor, salvaged from a former college in Glasgow. The look (which my builder openly described as ‘trashed') certainly takes the newness off the room and has given it a more lived-in feel from the start.

Heating: the addition of a wood-burning stove is perhaps the greatest indulgence of this entire project. However, at the time of construction, gas and electricity bills were souring and the prospect of popping a convector heater into such an environmentally pampered room seemed like an insult. Now that the logs are stacked on the porch, dried and ready to use, any doubts and budgetary concerns have been swept aside and the stove is a firm favourite with everyone allowed to enter this hallowed residence.

Landscaping: the final leg of the project involved tucking the office into the garden and making it look and feel at home. It wasn't until the building itself was completed that I worked out exactly how this would be achieved. The porch at the front is one of the quietest, sunniest spots in the garden so I extended the space out a couple of metres and then defined it with a low stone wall and oak bench surface. Informal slabs (saved from the previous landscaping in that corner) and gravel create an area which we now use for barbecues and meals and pots with grasses and evergreen shrubs complete the picture.

Little Redonda: we have named our garden studio Little Redonda. What would yours be called?