Habitat creation
Ponds, meadows, native planting, bee posts, hibernacula and other habitat features can be incorporated where they genuinely suit the site.
Cambridge • Cambridgeshire • Suffolk • Hertfordshire • London
Ecological & Sustainable Garden Design in Cambridge
Beautiful, functional gardens designed for people, wildlife and the landscape around them.
Teasels combines ecological understanding, horticultural expertise and thoughtful garden design to create distinctive outdoor spaces that support biodiversity without compromising how you want to live in your garden.
- Habitat creation & biodiversity
- Naturalistic, site-led planting
- Collaborative bespoke design
Design with purpose.
Gardens that are beautiful to live in and valuable to wildlife.
Ecology-led
Biodiversity considered from the first site visit.
Horticultural expertise
Planting designed for the site, not just the look.
Designed around you
A collaborative process, not a design handed over at the end.
Ecological garden design for people and nature
A beautiful garden should do more than look good.
A garden can be a place to relax, entertain and spend time with family while also becoming a functioning habitat for birds, pollinators and other wildlife.
At Teasels, ecology is not an add-on at the end of the design process. We look at the existing site, its habitats, planting, soil, structure and surrounding landscape before deciding what the garden should become.
The result is a tailored garden that feels right for you, fits its setting and leaves the site richer for nature.
What makes a Teasels garden different?
Ecology built into the design
Every site is different. The design responds to what is already there and where the greatest opportunities for people and wildlife can be created.
Biodiverse planting
Planting is considered for structure, seasonality, resilience and the resources it can provide for local wildlife throughout the year.
Naturalistic design
We create gardens that feel connected to their surroundings, balancing a strong design framework with the movement and changing character of living landscapes.
Designed around your life
Wildlife value does not mean sacrificing usability. Entertaining, family life, views, access and how you want to use the garden remain central to the brief.
Selected projects
Gardens designed for beauty, biodiversity and everyday life
Real Teasels projects show how ecological thinking can be applied to very different gardens, from compact Cambridge spaces to larger rural landscapes.
Suffolk
Rewilded Suffolk Garden
A highly manicured garden was loosened into a more naturalistic wildlife haven, including biodiverse meadow planting and a landscape with greater ecological value.
South Cambridgeshire
Modern English Wildflower Garden
Family-friendly functionality combined with richly layered naturalistic planting, year-round interest and a stronger habitat for local wildlife.
Cambridge
Cambridge Courtyard Garden
A compact garden designed for entertaining while maximising opportunities for biodiversity through planting, green walls and green roofs.
Meet your designer
Led by Daniel Lee
Horticulture, ecology and practical landscape experience brought together in one collaborative design process.
Daniel is a lifelong horticulturalist, botanist and educator. He studied at Writtle College, graduating with distinction and receiving the Allen Sparkes Award for best Landscape Student.
His experience also includes running a landscaping and gardening company in Cambridge and training in two Cambridge University college gardens.
- Writtle College — distinction
- Allen Sparkes Award
- Cambridge horticultural experience
- Ecology-led residential garden design
A genuinely collaborative process
Your garden evolves with you
Teasels does not simply present one finished idea. The design develops through site analysis, multiple concepts and ongoing conversation.
Understand the site
An in-person consultation, site visit and ecological analysis establish how the garden works now and what it could become.
Explore three concepts
Rather than one concept, a range of design directions is developed so the possibilities can be properly explored together.
Develop the masterplan
The chosen direction becomes a detailed landscape masterplan with planting, specifications and the information needed to bring it to life.
Support the build
Teasels can help with contractor sourcing, monitor installation and provide ongoing guidance as the garden establishes and evolves.
“Three concepts, not one. Multiple in-person meetings, not a single presentation.”
Planning a new garden?
Start with a complimentary conversation.
Tell us about your space, what you want from it and how important nature is to the brief.
Questions before you enquire?
Ecological garden design, explained simply
What is ecological garden design?
It means considering how the garden functions as a living system as well as how it looks and feels. Existing habitats, planting, soil, water, wildlife and the wider landscape all inform the design.
Can an ecological garden still feel designed and usable?
Yes. Teasels designs for people and nature together. Seating, entertaining, family use, access and visual structure can sit alongside meadows, wildlife planting, habitat features and other ecological interventions.
Do you design smaller urban gardens?
Yes. Teasels works across different scales, including compact Cambridge courtyard gardens where biodiversity can be increased through carefully planned planting, green walls, green roofs and other space-efficient ideas.
Which areas do you cover?
Teasels works with residential garden clients across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and London, with Cambridge at the heart of the practice.
What happens after the initial consultation?
The next stage is a detailed understanding of the site and its ecology. From there, Teasels develops a range of design ideas before progressing the preferred direction into a masterplan and detailed design.
Complimentary initial consultation
Tell us about your garden
Whether you are starting with a blank canvas or want an existing garden to do much more for wildlife, the first step is a conversation.
