Designs for Wildlife Gardens

Gardens are not wild places...but they do support wild things. We believe that wildlife gardens can be beautiful whilst also providing homes for animals whose natural habitats are in decline. Catherine Heatherington and Alex Johnson have formed DesignWild Associates to bring together our wide range of experience in both design and ecology to create exciting wildlife gardens.

We have designed many gardens for wildlife - they range from the small urban courtyard through to the large garden in Suffolk recently commissioned by the RSPB which demonstrates how people can create their own wildlife gardens. The design draws inspiration from the landscape along the River Stour with the inclusion of pollarded and coppiced trees, wetland and meadow planting and there are key 'take home ideas' which can be reproduced on a smaller scale in domestic gardens. The wildlife garden is open to the public throughout the year and entry is free. For more information see the RSPB website.

A very different project in the Inner Hebrides aims to integrate contemporary design with the natural landscape. Environmental considerations are important; the garden is sustainable using native planting and local materials. Wild grassy terraces wrap around the house and there are trees such as hawthorn, blackthorn and rowan. Much of the island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest so it is important that any plants introduced are natives already found on the island. Biodiversity is also important and the garden encourages a wide range of wildlife from buzzards and barn owls to hares and voles.