Private gardens are the biggest blind spot in green infrastructure performance.
A turnkey resident-stewardship that supports BNG, SuDS and Building with Nature intent - with zero developer workload.
Helps residents maintain soil, planting and drainage so site-wide GI performs long after handover.
This is the Self-Sustaining Garden programme.
Download Programme Overview pdf
The Problem
30–50% of a development’s green infrastructure sits within private gardens — but this area receives no structured support.
After handover, soil compaction, declining planting, incorrect maintenance and resident decisions undermine SuDS features, habitat value and wider GI intent.
For developers, that means:
- Declining biodiversity and planting resilience across plots
- Soil compaction and over-watering reducing SuDS effectiveness
- Higher customer-care demand
- Weak delivery against BNG, SuDS and stewardship intent
- Reduced ESG and CSR reporting confidence
- No credible mechanism to demonstrate long-term stewardship
The issue is simple: GI success relies on resident behaviour — but until now, residents have been unsupported.
The Solution
A fully hosted, resident-stewardship programme that protects the long-term performance of green infrastructure, SuDS and habitat measures on private plots — with zero additional workload for your team.
The programme provides:
- Clear, practical guidance that helps residents maintain soils, planting and drainage
- Improved long-term habitat value in line with BNG and S106 intent
- Better SuDS performance through healthier soil and appropriate management
- Alignment with Building with Nature standards for stewardship and ongoing GI management
- Reduced garden-related customer-care demand
- A credible mechanism to evidence post-occupation stewardship to planners and consultees
- A scalable solution for all plots — co-branded, fully supported and ready to deploy
How it works
A four-step, zero-admin process, scalable across all plots. Delivered within 5–10 days.
For consultants and bid teams:
Copy-ready wording and inclusion guidance is available on request.
Endorsement
“Mike's approach is deeply rooted in thoughtful, practical sustainability, with an eye for design that makes regenerative systems both effective and accessible. He brings a rare attention to detail that ensures solutions aren’t just good ideas—they’re well-executed, resilient, and impactful. His work has the potential to inspire and empower many.”
★★★★★
Javan Bernakevitch
All Points Design / Oregon State University
Meet Mike Carthew - Founder & Director
Mike’s background spans construction project management, geography, ecological design and more than a decade of teaching thousands of learners. This combination gives him a practical understanding of how resident behaviour affects soil, planting and drainage on private plots.
He specialises in translating GI, SuDS and stewardship goals into simple, effective guidance that supports long-term site performance.
Garden Footprint applies this expertise at scale through the Self-Sustaining Garden Programme — a fully hosted stewardship layer that helps developments deliver on their long-term green infrastructure intent.
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