Perched on the 6th floor of the Ziggurat Building in Saffron Hill, Central London, this 30-sqm art deco roof garden, photographed by Clive Nichols, is one of the most unique projects we made. Owned by a barrister who’s a keen wildlife enthusiast, ornithologist, pianist & fisherman, we were commissioned to develop his outdoor space in 2013.
Project Name: Farringdon Roof Garden
Studio Name: Mylandscapes LTD
We repavded the roof terrace with Balau Decking & Black Granite, detailed with linear LED strip lights. Unique aperture planters designed by us, increase spatial, allow daylight in via the glazed balustrades & are fitted with LED lights which generate hearty ambience.
The skyline features prominent buildings such as The Cheese Grater, The Barbican, The Shard & St Paul’s. Over the years, we’ve not only maintained the rooftop, but also replaced the Silver birch trees which were damaged in a storm in 2019. During this overhaul, we installed a living wall with herbs & alpines. In 2023 & 2024, we replaced some of the perennials with grasses, sedges, ferns & meadow plants.
A floating circular white planter homes 3 Cotoneaster trees, perfect for wildlife, attracting pollinators in summer & birds in winter. These trees replaced the Betula species. New Zealand plants also cope well in this exposed aspect with a Astelia (Wharawhara), Carex (Karaihe), Libertia (Mīkoikoi), Muehlenbeckia (Tororaro), Phormium (Harakeke), Pittosporum hedge (Kohuhu) & Uncinia (Watua).
To quote the client: “it is an eternal experiment”. 11 years on, this gem of a roof garden continues to evolve through the seasons as we adjust the plants, prune woody plants & practise organic upkeep in line with our sustainability & biodiversity ethos.