Brief; To design a public garden for use by community groups and residents within a new housing development. The development is set in a disadvantaged area of Derby city centre. The garden straddled a major pedestrian access to the train station. Therefore, resilience and safety were major considerations.

Scope; Design, & Project Manage Build

I organised a community consultation session to gather residents opinions and ideas. The design incorporated forest garden planting, pick your own fruit, seasonal borders as well as annual food growing space. This was intended to allow different users to engage in different ways.

Part of the design was a colourful floor mural to honour to the previous usage of the site – Derby Royal Infirmary, The painted lines led to different areas of the garden like the lines on the hospital corridors did before. The design also included a ‘woodland’ area to be used as an outdoor classroom by a local school and local playgroup. I worked with ‘Down To Earth, Derby’ to develop a community engagement plans with seasonal gardening activities. I oversaw the contractor and supplied planting for the community volunteers to plant.

Result; The garden was officially opened by Sir Tim Smit and a group of pupils from a neighbouring school. Down to Earth also continue to run social community engagement project here, the developer who funded the scheme were highly commended by Housebuilder Media awards.