I’m delighted to have been shortlisted as one of the finalists for the inaugural ProLandscaper Small Project Big Impact Awards 2018. The design was a small contemporary garden that cost under £20,000 for the build and planting. All of which just goes to show that smaller gardens with limited budgets can be just as challenging, interesting and rewarding to design.
It’s the first time I’ve ever entered any sort of awards so I’m delighted to say I’ve been shortlisted as a finalist in the Society of Garden Designers (SGD) Awards, for a contemporary private garden in Dulwich.
The SGD Awards, which cover all aspects of design from private domestic gardens to engaging public spaces, are the first and only national awards scheme dedicated to rewarding outstanding achievement in the garden and landscape design profession. Only real gardens are allowed, as opposed to the temporary show gardens you see at places like the Chelsea Flower Show.
Entries were open to projects with a practical completion period covering five years. This garden was approaching that time frame so has stood the test of time well. The planting is now mature with all the boundaries, shed and houses beyond effectively screened. The hard landscaping is still as good as new, thanks to the excellent construction work of a trusted landscape contractor.
Since completed I’ve been back regularly to check on the garden’s progress and have tweaked some of the planting as necessary. With the changing seasons and constant cycle of nature, gardens never stand still so some changes to the planting are inevitable. It’s been good to be involved with the garden over that time to ensure that any changes are in keeping with my original vision for the garden.
The winners of the awards won’t be announced until an awards ceremony in November, to be hosted by TV personality and designer James Alexander-Sinclair. Until then, my fingers are tightly crossed!
This week saw the official opening of a school garden I designed for the pupils of St John’s & St Clement’s Church of England Primary School in SE15. It’s been a really interesting project to do and it’s great to see the children enjoying the finished result.
The initial brief for the garden involved wide consultation with pupils, parents and staff, so there were a broad range of views, suggestions and requirements to take into account. Up until now the school had no green space at all, so the two main purposes of the garden have been to create a space for outdoor lessons and to create a peaceful green environment for the children to use during playtimes and lunchtimes.
The design solution provides a multi-purpose space that includes an outdoor classroom with curved benches and overhead shade sail, a circular sandstone nautical compass, sundial, tree seat, arch, flower beds and a winding woodland path under three Himalayan birch trees.
The garden was also designed with sustainability in mind. It was created on land reclaimed from an adjacent house owned by the school and by demolishing unused and unsafe outbuildings. Use of permeable surface materials means all rainwater now drains on-site. All the timber structures and furniture are made with wood from sustainably managed forests. A beehive-style compost bin allows for garden waste to be composted and used in the garden, whilst biodiversity is encouraged with log piles and a range of nectar-rich flowering plants to attract bees, butterflies and other wildlife.
And what about encouraging the children to grow their own food, I hear you cry. Well, there are already some brick raised beds in the main playround used for this purpose, so it wasn’t part of the brief for the new garden.
The garden was officially opened on Monday by the Bishop of Southwark in front of all the school children – over 400 in all. And it didn’t even rain!
I believe it’s really important for children to have access to green space and to connect with the natural environment. I hope this new garden helps stimulate their learning and instill a wonder and respect for plants and nature.
