At a glance: A garden that celebrates the green spaces of London
Inspired by London’s status as the first National Park City, this small garden celebrates the pocket-sized oases that stitch the city together. “It’s a pearl-like gemstone that you might go and retreat to, during the working day or on your way home,” says Joe Carey. Inspired by an oyster shell (a nod to London’s oyster trade – and the Oyster travelcard), it will feature an organic set of verdigris copper ‘ribbons’ and a wall of Oyster[Crete], a sustainable material made from oyster shells gathered from London restaurants. Interconnected water features will reference London’s hidden rivers.
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One of the garden’s inspirations was designer Thomas Heatherwick’s #humanise movement: “There is a balance of visual complexity and repetition – if you get that right, you bring harmony.” The palette of lilac and pink-flowered plants and silver-leaved shrubs complement the verdigris copper. A central Pinus sylvestris – great for reducing urban pollution – overhangs the seating area, and London street trees, such as ginkgo, are also included.
Designers Joe Carey and Laura Carey Sponsor Addleshaw Goddard Contractor The Outdoor Room Suppliers Creepers Nursery, Katie’s Garden Plant Centre Relocating to Baston House School for autistic children and young people in Bromley, south London
