I had the privilege of designing a two small wildlife gardens behind some Georgian terraces in a shady London square. The buildings are being proposed for conversion back to residential having been offices for some time. The project was very much about reaching EcoHome points with a plant mix that suits birds, insects and other garden wildlife. However whilst we managed to exceed the eco-points threshold for EcoHomes by some way with a mix of shade tolerant native plants, we also managed to provide two contemporary usable outdoor spaces. Our design suggest that we recycle York stone from the refurbished cellar floors, carefully cutting them into strips to form small paths and seating areas which will have all the patina of the historic building. Structure is provided by small trees, clipped box standards and bold fern and grass planting.
Sketch of wildlife garden
