For anyone stepping into the world of gardening, it might look like award-winning expert Matt Keightley is trying to put himself out of a job. The acclaimed designer, who has famously created stunning outdoor spaces for clients including Prince Harry, has co-founded a clever new AI-powered platform called Spacelift.
Innovative Tool Debuts at Chelsea Flower Show
This innovative tool made its grand debut at the recent RHS Chelsea Flower Show and is designed to help green-fingered enthusiasts plan their perfect plots right from their mobile phones. You can check out the app and download it for a free quick match today to see how it can instantly reinvent your back garden.
To get started, users simply upload a photo of their plot or map out the boundaries by walking around the perimeter with their smartphone. From there, you can experiment with gorgeous signature aesthetics, ranging from Cotswolds Chic and Classic Contemporary to Modern Luxe and Scandinavian, writes Hannah Stephenson.
Smart Technology for Bespoke Garden Plans
The smart technology analyses your space to deliver bespoke, expert-led plans complete with precise planting schemes, material suggestions, and handy 'shop-the-look' features. While some traditionalists might raise an eyebrow at mixing technology with nature, Keightley insists that artificial intelligence can be a force for good when guided by the right hands.
"I've been a designer for 25 years – I started when I was 15 – and I like the idea that I could use that knowledge to help a bigger market, people who can't necessarily afford or consider approaching a design studio." Keightley, who recently designed three distinct gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show — a compact urban terrace, a restorative rural retreat and a nature-led woodland garden — to showcase the app's capabilities, launched the project a year ago.
"Gardens are quite scary if you don't know what you're looking for, or looking at, not knowing which is the right plant for the right place, how to plan the space into different zones, and the app does exactly that. We're targeting DIY market lower-level budgets."
Local Soil and Sunlight Analysis
To ensure your new plants actually thrive, the app automatically identifies your local soil type and sunshine levels using your postcode. It then handpicks a variety of flora perfectly suited to the unique microclimate of your garden beds.
Every piece of advice generated by the system is built upon Keightley’s own professional design principles and spatial rules. "It retrieves information from my design rules, my design thinking, and before it generates anything, it has a body of set parameters around what the design should be for each of the styles. So, for Cottage Garden, for example, I would be looking at big deep beds, layered planting, softer edges, working with the senses and thinking about which plants could be used to increase biodiversity and bring wildlife in."
Zoning and Future Features
The app also divides the garden into distinct zones, guiding users through a range of preferences such as a potting shed or bistro set, while planning seating arrangements based on the sun's trajectory. Further features covering the management and upkeep of the space are set to follow, incorporating details on how much time each user has available for garden maintenance.
With regard to hard landscaping, the app would assess how surface water is directed into planting beds — for instance, by opting for open joints and gravel rather than fully grouted surfaces, allowing rainwater to filter back into the garden naturally.
Pricing and Availability
The application is free for an initial basic match, while a detailed custom plan costs £9.99 a month on subscription. Users can also purchase a one-off project pack for £89.99, which unlocks full visual concepts, lighting ideas, and technical specifications.
Designer's Vision for AI in Gardening
So, is the master designer truly making his own role obsolete? "No, I'm not. First and foremost, we're targeting DIY and not necessarily the existing market. There's a huge amount of the general public who have gardens who don't know what to do with them, and they can't afford design advice or help."
"Whilst I understand the argument that it might encroach on some designers, I think we need to be open-minded as an industry and understand that AI's not going anywhere and the more people lean into it and use it to make their own designer practices more efficient, the better the industry could be."
Future of Smart Gardens
Looking ahead, the designer predicts that high-tech homes will soon feature automated soil sensors and smart watering systems as standard. This means your garden will be able to communicate its exact health needs directly to your smart home hub.
"It's not a massive leap to imagine people in their homes saying, 'OK, Google or Alexa, what does my garden need this weekend?' and it will link you to the shop and you'll be able to get the bag of peat-free compost you need. It'll be quick because people are lacking in patience these days."
READ NEXT: Keep hanging baskets alive through heatwaves with a kitchen sponge; Know your good slugs from your bad slugs; Get a free Amazon Prime trial and gain access to four days of big deals.
