The photographs for this series of work were sourced from British estate agent advertisements in 2021/22.
The photographs expose the contrast between ‘Paved’ & ‘Planted’ gardens, highlighting personal spaces that can & could play an important part in tackling climate change. As individuals we often feel helpless to counteract the damage done to our climate by large business conglomerates. However, if we are lucky enough to have a personal exterior space attached to our homes this can be of vital importance to help the sustainability of our vulnerable eco-systems.
The conservation charity Plantlife urged British people in May 2022 to “leave their lawnmowers in the shed for a month and let wild flowers grow instead. It also asked people to count the flowers that grew and record them as part of its No Mow May project. Leaving the grass uncut will create a habitat that will benefit bees and other insects.”
Digging up a paved or concreted garden could simultaneously provide many positive effects on nature and peoples’ psychological and physical well-being. A ‘planted’ garden can uplift the senses, maintain the bio diversity of insect life and mitigate some of the effects of climate change such as flooding.
