Project:
Planting design for wholesale nursery HQ frontage.
Brief:
My client, one of the leading wholesale nurseries in the UK, set a competition for students at my college to design a planting scheme for the front of their HQ building. The building was also the visitors’ reception so it was important that it made an impact. In particular the client wanted to incorporate temporary seasonal displays to showcase their product range. The building was north west facing, functional in appearance and surrounded by old paving and gravel. The competition prize was a contract for design consultancy.
My Solution:
I designed a green and white naturalistic planting scheme to light up the shady space and soften the lines of the building. Combining ferns, grasses, white flowered perennials and shrubs, I punctuated this lower tier of planting with light-reflecting white Birch, the season extended with winter and spring flowering bulbs. A ribbon of tightly clipped, sloped Yew hedging runs through the scheme echoing the curves of the client’s logo and contrasts with the loose, naturalistic planting. The hard landscaping in front of the porch is updated with neutral materials that will compliment the planting and work with the existing red brick of the building. Tiered oak sleeper raised beds embrace the porch and showcase seasonal plants in colours echoing the client’s logo. The seasonal planting is interspersed with ferns and topiary; the tightly clipped shapes contrasting with the looser seasonal planting.
It was anticipated that the design would be built and planted in 2018, however upon further investigation underground cables were later discovered and the client decided not to proceed with the project. Though a disappointing outcome, the experience of working with one of the UK’s leading wholesale nurseries was exciting and a great learning experience.