Studio Mooney Garden Design is owned and managed by South London-based garden designer, Shaun Mooney. After a 10-year career in marketing and communications, he retrained as a garden designer after the pandemic. After studying for three years, he holds a Diploma in Garden Design from London’s renowned Capel Manor College.
In our studio’s work, we aim to combine clean lines and strong geometry in hard landscaping, balanced with dynamic, architectural planting to create atmosphere and emotion. Our gardens provide naturalistic, restful outdoor spaces clients can use 365 days a year. Whether you have a small courtyard or medium-sized family garden, with some clever design we can create spaces for everyone - including wildlife, too.
Over the past four years of practice, we have carefully built a network of local suppliers, designers and tradespeople, including trusted landscapers, lighting designers, architects, nurseries and gardeners. Although our studio is small, the experience and expertise we draw upon is mighty.
We enjoy working with clients in a collaborative way, including them in the design process as much as possible, as well as the long-term development of the garden.
Hello!
Ethos
Context-sensitive - While I certainly have a palette of plants and materials that I like to work with, every project I work on is different because every garden I work in is different. I always take time to get to know a client and their garden to respond to the site and the brief to create a unique garden.
Ecological - “Gardens are for people”, yes. But I genuinely think what brings people out of their homes and into the garden is a reason to step outside. You have dining furniture in your house, but what makes you want to sit outside is enjoying the companionship of a garden that is thrumming with life. All gardens are wildlife gardens in one way or another, but they don’t need to be messy or unruly.
Sustainable - Gardens needn’t cost the Earth. Literally. I use local suppliers and nurseries, re-use material on-site and aim to preserve the soil. I reduce the number of external inputs a garden needs to thrive, responding to Mother Nature to grow what wants to grow there, instead of creating artificial conditions to coerce plants to grow outside of their desired conditions.
Permeable - Gardens should capture as much rain water as they can rather than allowing it to drain away. The best place for rain water is the ground. Impermeable landscaping - like concrete or tarmac - causes rain water to run off into sewers, contributing to flash flooding. By not paving more than we need, we allow water to naturally filter through permeable and porous surfaces, such as planting, decking or gravel. If a client wishes, rain water can be captured and stored to reduce the amount of drinking water used to water a garden. Using the right plants in the right place can help cut our water use - and our water bills - to aid with this.
Naturalistic - I think the best gardens emulate natural environments - meadows, woods, coasts and mountains - while creating space for people. Planting feels more relaxed or dynamic, and in turn, so do we. This also helps us think about the kinds of plants that might do well in a garden’s unique conditions, meaning they perform better and require less maintenance. Win win!