Urban Oasis
Gardeners World Live 2023
Inviting, beautiful, relaxing
Working with the Wildlife Trust, I wanted to show that you can not only have a beautiful garden that's a joy to go home to, but where you can actively support wildlife at the same time.
Urban Oasis was based on a small, 5m x 5m, space that you might find with a terraced urban home. It included a range of wildlife supporting features including water, varied planting offering food and shelter, access for small mammals (hedgehogs), insect habitats and the star of the show - sculptural bee-hotel posts; all achieved on a small budget, with lots of reclaimed materials.
We were delighted to receive a Silver-merit award, and to engage with nearly 100,000 people who visited BBC Gardeners World Live; as well as appearing on Gardeners World television.
The garden is now on permanent display at Wildlife Trust Parkridge, for all to enjoy.
Best comment:
'Your garden is giving me goose-bumps...',
Wondering what 'that' plant was?
Here's everything I planted in the Urban Oasis wildlife friendly garden
Acanthus mollis
Anemone sylvatica
Angelica archangelica
Angelica gigas
Briza media
Campanula glomerata
Campanula poscharskyana
Carex coman's ‘Bronze Form’
Carex remota
Ceratophyllum demersum
Clethra alnifolia ‘Paniculata’
Digitalis 'Lucas White'
Digitalis purpurea Excelsior Group
Digitalis purpurea ‘Dalmation mixed’ AGM
Dryopteris atrata
Dryopteris erythrosora
Euyonymus atalatas ‘Compactus’ AGM
Geranium × johnsonii 'Johnson's Blue'
Geranium phaeum ‘Album’
Geranium pratense 'Storm Cloud'
Geranium pratense ‘Mrs Kendall Clark’ AGM
Geranium sylvaticum ‘Mayflower’ AGM
Gillenia trifoliata AGM
Glyceria maxima
Hebe rakaiensis AGM
Heuchera ‘Obsidian’ PBR AGM
Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ AGM
Hosta ‘Lakeside Lollipop’
Hosta sieboldiana ‘Frances Williams’
Hosta ‘Waterslide’
Hydrangea anomala subsp. Petiolaris AGM
Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ AGM
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae
Iris louisiana ‘Black Gamecock’
Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’ AGM
Lonicera periclymenum 'Graham Thomas' AGM
Luzula nivea
Lysimachia atropurpurea ‘Beaujolais’
Lysimachia clethroides AGM
Magnolia stellata ‘Water Lily’
Marsilea quadrifolia
Melittis melissophyllum 'Royal Velvet Distinction'
Mentha aquatica
Penstemon heterophyllus 'Electric Blue'
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo' PBR AGM
Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb'
Polemonium yezoense 'Purple Rain’
Polygonatum giganteum
Polystichum setiferum
Ranunculus flammula
Sesleria ‘Greenlee’s Hybrid’
Sorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem' PBR AGM
Species-rich lawn turf (Wildflower Turf)
Stachys sylvatica
Tellima grandiflora
Thalictrum 'Nimbus White' AGM
Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavendelturm’
Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’ AGM
Viola riviniana
Weigela florida ‘Alexandra' (Wine & Roses)
The chairs and table were from: EcoFurn
The blue rain-cups were from: Haywards Garden Sculpture
Gardeners World TV - Episode 13, June 23
Beautiful, practical gardens for all,
Designed for you in my studio, Bursledon, Hampshire.
Coastal, country, town gardens -for real life.
