If you want to put some more greenery in your life, or just think your garden is a touch small, you might want to follow the lead of a Wimbledon resident and put a lawn on your roof.

As part of an extension to her house, Sophie Belcher of Hardy Road, has installed a 'green carpet' of grass and small 'fleshy' plants called sedum on top of a new extension.

The roof holds a number of environmental benefits – an important part of the project which is designed to be both green and sustainable.

She said: "This has been a three-and-a-half month project but when I first started it, I wanted to make sure the extension would be as environmentallyfriendly as possible."

Green roofs reduce heating bills by adding mass and thermal resistance, and can help cool the building when hot, using naturally absorbed water.

Sophie hopes her project will encourage other Merton residents to consider going green with any development to their homes, no matter how small.

She said: "I investigated several options for the green roof and at first I was quoted some huge figures because this sort of thing is only common in Europe and not over here.

"There’s not an awful lot of information out there but it’s becoming easier to get hold of on the internet so going green is within everyone’s grasp."

The roof cost £2,000, and was installed by Streatham-based BBS Green Roofing – set up by two gardeners specialising in green architecture.

Sophie said: "For a relatively small amount of money, I feel like I’ve managed to make a difference in my little corner of Wimbledon.

"Everything we do has an effect on the environment and if everyone commits to making a small change, it can make an enormous difference."