Less house, more life: Why Faith chose to build her home around a garden

“When we were buying this land, we weren’t looking to build a big house. As long as the children had room to run around, the rest would fall into place," Faith says

Raised in a family of 13, her father deeply believed in the power of land ownership. A businessman and farmer, he always emphasised that land is a thing that cannot be made more of, and she listened.

“Growing up, I saw my father value space. He used to say, ‘If you own land, you have freedom.’ I’m simply following in his footsteps,” says Faith.

In 2009, her father’s advice and vision materialised. Together with her husband, they bought their first plot for Sh2 million, which felt like a big investment at the time.

Located in Membley, Kiambu, within walking distance of the Southern Bypass in Ruiru, the plot's value has now increased threefold.

“We didn’t even have all the money, so we took a loan. Today, it would sell for at least Sh7 million,” she says.

The increase in value is driven by the development taking place, such as the expansion of the road, the construction of the Kenyatta University Teaching and Referral Hospital, and the development of Tatu City, which has made the area an economic zone.

They moved in in 2016, the same year their youngest child was born, and Faith cherishes that memory to this day.

Initially, the house wasn’t their main residence. It was intended as a servant's quarters. However, after spending six months there, they fell in love with it and made it their main house.

"We came straight from the hospital to this place. That’s how rooted our journey here is,” says Faith.

The compound was bare, no grass or plants, just bare soil. Although she wasn’t a gardener to begin with, something about the open space, fresh air and calmness began to change her.

She slowly transformed the bare yard into a space she now describes as her 'Runda'.

“I wasn't into gardening when we started. But once I had the space, I felt nature speaking to me. It came naturally,” she says.

Faith, a professional home and space organiser, is no stranger to creating intentional environments. She has a sharp eye for order, symmetry and balance — a gift that she now applies outdoors as well as indoors.

“Peace guides my choices. I don’t like visual noise or too many colours. I prefer simplicity and harmony," she says. Much like her life, her garden is orderly, neat and alive. Every space is functional and every plant has a purpose.

The 40-by-25-metre Arabica lawn is framed by elegant royal palms, ashoka trees, golden palms, palm lilies, snake plants and her favourite, the croton.

“It’s a mix of red, fuchsia and green. Those are the colours I naturally gravitate toward. The way it draws you in is incredible; it's as if it's calling for your attention without shouting," says Faith.

She’s not obsessed with having lots of plants, but she is very particular about variety and vibe. She has around 15 plants in the garden.

“I’m not planning to add more plants,” she says, “but I’ll keep changing the varieties over time to bring new energy.”

One of the standout features of her garden is the climber wall —a living, evolving curtain of greenery. Initially, she planted it as a vertical feature along a single wall, but it has since extended across adjacent surfaces, gradually softening the concrete jungle.

The vines have softened the hard edges of the wall, creating a green symmetry and blurring the line between structure and nature.
Faith also loves the snake plant, not just for its visual appeal, but also for its benefits.

“It converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, so it’s great for the bedroom. According to Feng Shui, it also attracts prosperity and good energy,” she says.

She’s especially proud of her cycads, which she describes as 'aesthetic and economic assets'.

They’re not cheap – one small cycad cost her Sh5,000 back then, and now it has grown so big that it could sell for up to Sh50,000. But what excites her more is their ability to propagate.

“This one gave me five sprouts and that one had seven. So now I’m multiplying them,” she says, pointing at her five-year-old cycad right next to the gate.

She buys her plants from various places and doesn’t stick to just one nursery.

“I buy from Windsor sometimes. I enjoy discovering new growers, especially those who are just starting out. They often have unique plants and care deeply about what they’re selling,” she says.

She has cleverly disguised the functional elements of the garden. A manhole at the far end of the garden is hidden beneath a decorative pot and foliage.

“I didn’t want it to stand out. It needed to be there, but also blend into the beauty,” she says.

Another croton by the outdoor washroom provides visual cover while enhancing the garden's flow.

Setting up her nine-year-old garden cost her about Sh100,000, mainly for soil, grass and levelling.

“Back then, Arabic grass was hard to find. I bought 10 bags of cement-sized soil at Sh2,500 each. People even questioned whether it was real Arabic grass,” she laughs.

They’ve since replaced parts of the lawn with slabs, as hosting events revealed how easily the grass could become muddy.

Their garden has hosted everything from small family gatherings to events with over 100 guests. There’s even a bonfire pit, although it scorched a section of the lawn once.

“We’re bringing that patch back to life. Sometimes we bring out chairs and mats, and even a screen for outdoor movies. It’s not about size; it’s about use,” she says.

For Faith, gardening goes hand in hand with sustainability. The garden includes a kitchen garden, a chicken coop and a small composting area.

Faith has installed a pop-up irrigation system to conserve water and solar lighting that automatically activates at 6:30 pm, offering an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution.

She employs someone to water the grass daily. Once a month, a gardener comes to assess the garden's overall health, supported by a landscaping expert who ensures it stays in good condition.

Maintenance

However, maintaining the garden hasn't been without its challenges.

"We had a pest problem with black bugs on the trees. Regular insecticides didn’t work. So we brought in a specialist who started by fumigating outside the compound and then inside. It took time, but it worked.”

Faith's message to anyone wishing to start a garden is simple yet powerful: you don't need two acres to create a green space.

“Even in a small area, you can bring nature closer and create something beautiful. You just have to be intentional,” says the mother of four.

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