A Sloping Wildlife Garden

This tricky plot in Crystal Palace was over grown with weeds and lacked any structure or direction. The challenging sloping site made it difficult to keep on top of weeds and keep plants well watered. The steep steps lead down to the garden office, so having something beautiful and inspiring to look out on to was the goal here, bringing wildlife in with a relaxed wild flower feel. 

We used drought tolerant plants to help cope with the clay soil and sloping site. Nepeta, Lavender & rosemary are used throughout. Geranium rozanne weaves between planting and flowers throughout the season, and erigeron self seeds into cracks in the steps to colonise the pathway giving a frothy floral stairway. 

Adding a series of bulbs for Spring colour brings the space alive early in the year, with bluebells, many tulips and alliums later in the season. Adding two trellised planters at the bottom of the garden to give privacy from next door also give a great base for Trachleospermum to grow up, as well as early and later flowering clematis over the existing arch. The garden is now home to many species of bee, butterfly and birds.