Eden Project’s Post

Making a park landscape look natural takes a lot of work. It’s certainly not set and forget.  New York’s Highline takes a team of 10 horticulturalists to care for it. With biodiversity collapsing around us, many new Australian landscapes are focussing on Connection to Country with a renewed interest in biodiversity. In Sydney, two new major projects, Barangaroo Central (by Yerrabingin) and Bradfield Town Centre Park (by Aspect Studios) demonstrate this new design ethos.  These new parks have high biodiversity values, particularly in the dense ground plane planting. Long term caring for Country is going to be critical to the success of these new projects and many others that we are designing and delivering. As landscape architects, we need to highlight to our clients that this ongoing care not only benefits the community, but should be seen as a vital employment opportunity, particularly for first Nations people, and not seen a financial burden. That does beg the question of long term funding beyond capital costs. All too often, limited Local Government budgets drive the desire for a tree in grass planting solution that can be maintained with a ride on mower. This is neither good for biodiversity, aesthetics, or our climate. Empirical evidence shows that proximity to high quality landscape, makes places more desirable to live and improves property values. This is certainly the case with The High Line (see notes in comments section). But in Australia this value capture tends to benefit the developer and not the long term owner – usually a local council.   We need to rethink how we finance long term liveable landscapes that continue to look better every day. Landscapes that generate community social values, pride and ownership, as well as improved health, environmental, climate and biodiversity outcomes. Most importantly we need to ensure that long term caring for Country also brings long term learning benefits and employment opportunities for our First Nation Community. #Biodiversity #landscapearchitecture Project details: This article is focussed on the impressive planting design by Piet Oudolf. It should be noted that The High Line design is a collaboration between James Corner’s Field Operations as the project landscape architect and design lead, along with Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf. https://lnkd.in/gMpJy29B The Landscape Architecture Foundation in America has a very good environmental performance evaluation of the High line that can be found here. https://lnkd.in/gUHaSY9P https://lnkd.in/gWbvjFTH

🌸🌿 Just returned from an inspiring visit to the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show yesterday! 🌿🌸 The event was a vibrant showcase of creativity and innovation in landscape and garden design. I was particularly captivated by the numerous wildlife gardening ideas that were beautifully integrated into the various displays. From pollinator-friendly planting schemes to inventive habitat designs, the show provided a treasure trove of inspiration for creating eco-friendly and sustainable gardens. These concepts align perfectly with my current work and studies in 2D and 3D design software. Seeing these ideas brought to life in such stunning and practical ways has fueled my passion and sparked new creative directions for my projects. I’m excited to implement these wildlife-friendly elements into my designs, ensuring they are not only aesthetically pleasing but also beneficial for our environment. In addition to these inspirations, I’m motivated to focus on delivering Biodiversity Net Gain in my future projects. Here are a few key ideas: 🌿 Native Plant Selection: Prioritising native plants to support local wildlife and create resilient ecosystems. 🦋 Habitat Creation: Designing diverse habitats such as wildflower meadows, ponds, and woodland areas to provide shelter and food for various species. 🐝 Pollinator Corridors: Establishing continuous planting schemes that allow pollinators to move freely between gardens and green spaces. 🌳 Tree Planting: Incorporating a variety of tree species to enhance canopy cover and create habitats for birds and insects. 🐞 Green Infrastructure: Integrating green roofs, living walls, and rain gardens to support urban biodiversity and manage water sustainably. 🌾 Soil Health: Promoting practices that improve soil health, such as composting and minimal disturbance, to foster a thriving below-ground ecosystem. Feeling grateful for the opportunity to witness such remarkable talent and ingenuity. Can’t wait to see how these new insights will influence my work! #RHSHamptonCourt #WildlifeGardening #LandscapeDesign #BiodiversityNetGain #SustainableLiving #DesignInspiration #2DDesign #3DDesign #EcoFriendly #NatureLovers #CreativeIdeas 🌺🦋🌼

💡 Some really useful content here for all #architects. Alfie Johnston runs you through how to increase planting depth 🌱☘️🪴 Keen to learn more, reach out to the Logic technical team on hello@logic-bespoke.com. #landscapedesign #planters #planting #plants #soil #construction #knowledge #learning #design

Amazing write up about our friends at Phyto Studio in The New York Times last week! Claudia West, Thomas Rainer, Melissa Rainer are spearheading landscape architecture that prioritizes biodiversity, ecology and connection to the natural world. Truly inspiring! Some of our favorite takeaways from Margaret Roach's article: 🌿 "A plant's ecological impact ranks much higher [than appearance or form] in the decision-making criteria, which includes not just natives, but also nonnatives." 🌿 "Making landscapes that are not only biophillic - celebrating and reinforcing our essential connection to nature - but also ecological is the focus of Phyto Studio" 🌿 "Phyto designers seek to build in maximum diversity-- What Ms. West refers to as the "ecological intensification of a site" -- by using ecologically high-performing plants that match their aesthetic goals" 🌿 "Not all native plants are created equal. And there are many European plants that have high ecological value" 🌿 " As Mr. Rainer put it: 'Introduce an element of hedonism to ecology -- you don't have to suffer or be puritanical to be good. Embrace the pleasure.'" Read the full article here! https://lnkd.in/dpWTQAE7

Roof gardens on new developments are becoming a must-have. Now, these amenity spaces are becoming more sophisticated, with places to socialise, extensive planting and even outdoor cooking. Where greenery is appropriate, designers occasionally look to specify larger plants, mostly this is small trees which can add an interesting dimension to a space, invite wildlife and reduce pollutants in the air. The main challenge here is the requirement for increased soil depth to accommodate large root formations. This episode of the Knowledge is Power Series discusses the three ways to increase planting depth. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dZPwv5fD ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ #RoofGardens #UrbanDevelopment #GreenSpaces #OutdoorLiving #SustainableDesign #AmenitySpaces #PlantingDepth #KnowledgeIsPower

Great article on tree pruning. This is a specialized practice to maintain the structure, health, and aesthetic of trees in Southlake landscapes. https://lnkd.in/gsQWKzdw

For me, garden design goes so much further than how a finished design will look - although that is important too! There are so many more factors that I consider and choose to include in my work to help the biodiversity and longevity of the environments in which I am working and ultimately leaving behind for the owners to nurture. Here are a few of the elements that form part of my design philosophy: 🌿 Carrying out a site survey which includes noting which species are present, clients wildlife observations are noted, and further biodiversity surveys are available where needed. 🌿 I choose to use permeable paving surfaces over non permeable. Permeable paving is versatile, can be sourced locally, it also helps to trap water, releasing it slowly, thus mitigating flood risks in your garden and the surrounding area. 🌿 All my designs have regenerative features such as new habitats & compost bins. The plants are chosen to support insects and wildlife. I design to capture water onsite and build soakaways and rain gardens as much as possible and where appropriate. 🌿 Soil is at the heart of my considerations, to preserve it for its carbon holding ability, and mycorrhizal networks which in turn help plants to be more resilient. 🌿 The chosen planting is selected on its suitability not just for the site but for the wider environment. 🌿 Placing emphasis on effective garden maintenance to ensure all gardens have a long and beautiful life Are these elements important to you? #gardendesign #gardendesigner #biodiversity #environmentalsustainability #derbyshire #staffordshire #gardengoals #gardenlove

Although many people worry that having a more ecologically responsible landscape means letting go of cherished plants — their peonies, perhaps, or roses — Ms. West and Mr. Rainer are quick to clarify. It’s not about tossing things out, because most gardens have underused space. “It’s about letting things in,” Mr. Rainer said. Especially flowering plants — a win for people of all ages, and for wildlife. But first, we have to readjust the way we see our surroundings. When rethinking any part of our garden, or starting a new one, what if we flip our idea of what the landscape looks like? #regenerativedesign #ecologicalrestoration #habitatrestoration #landscapedesign #gardendesign #gardeninspiration #urbangarden #urban #nativeplants #pollinators #climateresilience #ecologicaltransformation

Yep, we have January and it rains non-stop...but no need to fret as this is the best time to plan a garden. If you want to stay up-to-date with us, please follow our Page. For more tips on garden transformations, visit our blog: https://lnkd.in/dfmMcbEj #gardendesign #landscaping #landscapedesinger #gardenideas

Check out some of the amazing innovative designs that feature on our “Designing for #Biodiversity” island at Bio Spaces. First up, Green&Blue created the Bee Brick - an innovative nesting site for solitary bees, that can either be installed freestanding in a garden, or in place of a standard brick in a building or wall, to increase the number of habitats for non-swarming solitary bees. Next we have…Seedleaves.com…these aeroponic vertical towers can support biodiversity in urban settings where land  available for growing food and floral crops is scarce. They also reduce food miles and nutrient loss by reducing time from harvest to consumption. And finally…check out…BioScapes’ WildPod Mini - designed to quickly boost biodiversity in any residential, educational, community or commercial setting. It incorporates 10 wildlife habitats to support a range of species, from hoverflies to #hedgehogs, within an integrated garden planter. There are communities of living species (or ecosystems) all around us – even between the cracks in the pavement in urban environments. As designers we can support other species’ determination to survive within and beyond the built environment by creating opportunities for #ecosystems to establish and thrive at a range of scales. #BioSpaces is open to the public until September 30th at Roca London Gallery. Entry is free. Image credits: Green&Blue, William Benson, BioScapes Kate Christman Gavin Christman William Benson Adam Wade Alex Douglas Terry Smithson Hannah McGouran Jack Hodgkin Cara LeGault