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An interesting article in the Garden Design Journal, discussing the decline of Britain’s front gardens, caught our eye recently.

Written by award winning garden designer Ann-Marie Powell the piece highlights some startling statistics about Britain’s front gardens and the rate at which they are disappearing from our streets.

Surveys commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) highlighted geographical hotspots throughout the country, 47% of front gardens in the North-east of England for example are now over three-quarters paved and when the London Assembly examined aerial photographs of London, they discovered an area equivalent to 22 Hyde Parks had been lost to the paving of front gardens.

That’s an alarming amount of greenery disappearing from our streets and neighbourhoods.

The problem is more complicated though than just the aesthetical look of any given street, its the environmental impact that’s causing the most concern. Plants reduce pollution, regulate temperatures and provide a habitat for wildlife to thrive. The paving and concrete replacing those plants are not only damaging that delicate balance but also increasing the risk of flooding in a number of areas.

However, it appears our gardens aren’t necessarily disappearing as part of some trend but more out of a necessity.

The majority of people probably don't want to have to give up their front gardens but are often forced to opt for functionality. Parking and storing numerous recycling bins can often become a real issue in many streets, especially in built up areas. With more and more of us working longer hours a paved garden is obviously much easier to maintain.

And so, while the precise rate at which our front gardens are disappearing isn’t clear, what is clear is that the sustainability issues we are currently facing with our countries front gardens is very much a reflection of the times we live in.

For now, conserving and improving our front gardens is our only option. By making small changes we can make a difference but until such time as a long term solution is found the future of Britain’s front gardens is unknown.

For further information regarding Ann-Marie Powell’s original article visit

Visit for information regarding the Royal Horticultural Society and their Surveys.