Sustainable Garden
Designed whilst at Capel Manor, this planting design focused on rejuvenating one of the “show” gardens at the Enfield College site, with a focus on sustainability. A detailed planting plan (below) was drawn up to show the species and placement of the plants in the design.
The design won the annual end of year planting design project competition, sponsored by Provender nurseries.
Unfortunately due to restrictions around Covid, the garden was not able to be replanted following the design.
The majority of the plants featured in the garden were chosen with pollinators in mind, indeed most feature on the RHS Plants for Pollinators listing – they feature simple open flower shapes and a fairly wide variety of plants are featured, not only to look attractive but to increase the different types of pollinating insects too.
Spring flowering bulbs and early flowering plants such as Hellebores, Mahonia and Epimedium provide early interest and nectar sources, before the flowering herbaceous plants take over through the summer.
Seed heads can be left on many of the plants (Echinops, Verbena bonariensis, Hylotelephium, Phlomis russeliana) and grasses not only because they look handsome in decay but also because they provide food for birds.
Whilst there is an informal feel, balls of Lonicera nitida ‘Scoop’ along with other evergreens will keep some structure in the garden over winter.