Exotic Gardens | Food Forest Design | Wildlife Ponds | Wildflower Meadows | Pollinator Planting | Greenspace Planting
MeadowsMeadows are a great, low maintenance option for striking ecological planting.
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Why Ecological Design?
UK biodiversity has plummeted dramatically over the last 30 years, according to the National Trust's State of Nature Report (2019): 15% of native UK species face extinction with 2% already extinct. 25% of UK mammals also risk becoming wiped out as well 50% of all UK birds.
When plants, insects and fungi are added; 1 in 7 of the 8400 UK species accessed are at risk of being lost completely (National Trust, 2019).
Climate change, agriculture, loss of habitat and pollution all contribute to the decline of our natives species. This risks destroying our native ecosystems, which humans rely on to provide ecosystem services (National Trust, 2019). This mirrors the 'Global Annihilation Of Wildlife' a worldwide decline in all wildlife, which scientists speculate will result in the 6th mass extinction on earth (National Trust, 2019).
Gardens; no matter how big or small can help to curb the threat of extinction. By designing gardens ecologically we can create ecosystems in our gardens and provide food and habitats for our wildlife. This need not be done at the expense of beautiful borders, ecological gardens can be beautiful and can be designed with a range of themes and colours to suit the location and preference of the client.
National Trust (2019) 'The State of Nature Report 2019'. National Trust
UK biodiversity has plummeted dramatically over the last 30 years, according to the National Trust's State of Nature Report (2019): 15% of native UK species face extinction with 2% already extinct. 25% of UK mammals also risk becoming wiped out as well 50% of all UK birds.
When plants, insects and fungi are added; 1 in 7 of the 8400 UK species accessed are at risk of being lost completely (National Trust, 2019).
Climate change, agriculture, loss of habitat and pollution all contribute to the decline of our natives species. This risks destroying our native ecosystems, which humans rely on to provide ecosystem services (National Trust, 2019). This mirrors the 'Global Annihilation Of Wildlife' a worldwide decline in all wildlife, which scientists speculate will result in the 6th mass extinction on earth (National Trust, 2019).
Gardens; no matter how big or small can help to curb the threat of extinction. By designing gardens ecologically we can create ecosystems in our gardens and provide food and habitats for our wildlife. This need not be done at the expense of beautiful borders, ecological gardens can be beautiful and can be designed with a range of themes and colours to suit the location and preference of the client.
National Trust (2019) 'The State of Nature Report 2019'. National Trust
Woodland Wildlife Garden |
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Woodland Wildlife Garden: Garden is woodland themed but is predominantly a wildflower meadow. Structural plants like silver birch and ferns were planted and then the rest of the area was sown with a wildflower meadow seed mix. We chose 'Purple Haze' by Pictorial Meadows for its woodland-esc ambiance. The garden contains a native hedge along its border, with sloes hawthorns and bird cherries as well bug hotels.
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The Woodland Wildlife Garden was created by first marking out a path and beds and then by planting the structural plants such as; Betula utilis var. jacquemontii and the ferns. Afterwards, the rest of ground designated for planting was prepped for wildflower meadow seed sowing. The ground was dug over and a layer of seed compost layered on top as a mulch, which acted as a seed bed for the meadow mix 'Purple Haze' by Pictorial Meadows was selected as a wildflower meadow seed mix for its colour scheme as well as its tolerance for semi shade. Above the Woodland Wildlife Garden in Winter. Note the windy path and various flowering perennials preparing to flower in Spring.
Prior to being designed and planted, the Woodland Wildlife Garden was effectively a giant pile of garden waste. The waste was removed and what was left can be seen above; uneven ground saturated with with Petasites pyrenaicus (winter heliotrope.) The plants and tap roots needed to be removed by hand (no chemicals were used) and then areas designated for paths and beds, marked out and levelled.
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