Modern garden room designed around trees
A 5.5m × 4m Cedar Canopy room in Cambridge, built on piles between two large trees, with its deck and step skirting cut to follow the uneven ground.
Some gardens ask more of the designer and installer than others. This 5.5m x 4m Cedar Canopy room recently completed in Cambridge by Modern Garden Rooms sits in close proximity to two large trees, which immediately makes foundations, levels, and future growth part of the design conversation.
That is not an unusual situation in garden room projects, but it does call for experience. The practicalities of building close to mature trees need to be considered carefully, both for the tree now and for how it may grow in the years ahead. On sites with a Tree Preservation Order, that often means working alongside an arborist so the root protection area and the long-term health of the tree are properly respected.
At a glance
- Size: 5.5m × 4m, clad in Western Red Cedar with cement board at the rear.
- The site: Two large trees close by and uneven ground, built on piles to limit digging near the roots.
- The deck: A veranda to the right, shaped around a tree and a border, with a step wrapping the corner.
- Glazing: French doors beside a full-height fixed panel, with glazing wrapping into the side wall.
- Company: Modern Garden Rooms, with a show site in Leeds.
Working with trees and a slope
Modern Garden Rooms are long-established in the sector, and this Cambridge project shows the value of a company that understands awkward plots. The ground here was uneven, as is often the case in gardens shaped by established trees and planting, so the base needed to do two jobs at once: create a level platform for the building while avoiding unnecessary disturbance below ground.
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Their standard pile foundation system is well suited to that kind of brief. Rather than relying on a full slab and heavier excavation, piles can create a stable, level base while working more lightly with the site. It is the sort of foundation choice that matters on tree-led plots, because the question is not only how to support the room today, but how to respect root growth and movement over time.
Decking shaped around the garden
The detailing at the front of the building is especially well handled. Rather than a deck running the full width of the elevation at one constant depth, the main veranda area sits to the right, big enough for a bistro table and chairs, and shaped around one of the trees and an established border.
That gives the entrance a more considered relationship with the garden. A step wraps neatly around the corner of the deck, making the transition up from the lawn feel easy and natural. A particularly nice detail is how the Cedar used on the veranda and step skirting has been cut to follow the undulations in the ground level, so the whole project reads as fitted to the plot rather than forced into it.
Glazing framing border views
Modern Garden Rooms offer a wide choice of glazing layouts across the range, and this project uses glass well. On the front wall, French doors are paired with a full-height fixed panel to the left, creating a generous entrance composition without losing too much solid wall.
The more distinctive move is on the left-hand side. Full-height glazing wraps from the front elevation into the side wall, where a larger glazed section opens views into the heart of the woodland border. From inside the room, that arrangement should draw light deep into the space and keep the changing garden firmly in view through the seasons.
Well-specified Canopy Range
This building comes from Modern Garden Rooms’ Canopy range, which combines a projecting front roofline with integrated downlights. Here, the 0.35m canopy includes downlights, and the external lighting package also includes three up-and-down PIR lights. Cedar cladding is used on the front and sides, with cement board to the rear, a sensible approach where not every elevation needs to do the same visual work.
Western Red Cedar is just one of the cladding options Modern Garden Rooms offer, but it remains a strong fit for this sort of setting. It is a highly durable softwood with a refined grain and colour variation that sits comfortably among planting, while still giving the building a clean, contemporary aesthetic.
As with the rest of the range, the specification is aimed at year-round use rather than seasonal occupation. Modern Garden Rooms build with a multi-layer insulated shell, plaster-skimmed interior surfaces, and a standard electrical package that typically includes sockets, lighting, heating, and certification. The result is a room that is ready to furnish and use as soon as the finishing stages are complete.
Learn more about Modern Garden Rooms
Modern Garden Rooms design and install garden rooms across mainland UK, with a Leeds show site you can arrange to visit. To explore the Canopy range, try their online configurator, or discuss your own plot and project ideas, visit moderngardenrooms.com, call 01423 603 026, or email hello@moderngardenrooms.com.
