Eglinton Glencairn Gardens: Design for Planting and Maintenance

This project used SADIMET to offer design solutions to the client. The brief involved improving soil and plant health, filling gaps in planting to create a more vibrant garden, together with costs and implementation plan, and reducing the environmental impact of garden maintenance. The design used tools such as Principles (Mollison's and Holmgren's), 'Do nothing' scale of intervention, and Soil Food Web to create a more sparing and circular maintenance plan, suggesting deep mulching using garden 'waste' such as leaves and woodchip, a more discerning pruning regime, and knowledge- rather than fuel-intensive maintenance. The choice of additional plants was guided by the understanding of their cultural requirements, climate and growth patterns. Mapping and Phased Implementation were used to present the plans to the client. The client used this design as a basis for their tender for a new maintenance contractor.

I won the maintenance tender in spring 2018 and started implementing the project. The soil quality has improved dramatically, and the only fossil fuels used in the garden are for mowing the extensive lawn, which the client was keen on keeping, and occasional tree surgery, but the by-products of both are composted on site and further help with soil health. Other power tools occasionally used to trim the hedge or strim the meadow area run on electric solar power-recharged batteries. The garden biodiversity has significantly improved where plants, animals and fungi are concerned, and people comment on how lovely the garden looks throughout the seasons.