Park Royal Living Wall and Flowerbed Planting, NW London
Location - Park Royal, NW London
Garden Size - Large flowerbed
Client Type - Commercial
About this project
This project sits in Park Royal, one of the largest commercial and industrial districts in NW London, where planted space is scarce and has to work hard. The job was to plant up a large flowerbed and clothe the adjacent brick wall with climbers, creating a scheme that holds colour through the year and stands up to a commercial setting. Working to the landscape designer's plan, we planted a mix of perennials and grasses through the bed and trained climbers up the wall to green it vertically where there was no ground to spare.
Good planting starts below ground, especially on urban commercial sites where the soil is often compacted or poor. Before anything went in, the bed was reworked with a topsoil blend and mushroom compost to improve its structure and give roots room to establish, which is what helps a new scheme fill out rather than sit and struggle.
The planting was chosen to give interest across the seasons rather than one short peak. Bergenia and the grasses Luzula and Carex hold foliage and structure through winter, Anemone and Geranium carry the summer flowering, and Cornus earns its place for coloured winter stems once the perennials die back. Trained across the wall, the climbers add height and soften the brickwork as they establish.
Timeline
Ongoing project, planting completed over 3 weeks.
Materials used
Perennials and grasses chosen for year-round interest: Bergenia, Anemone, Geranium, Ajuga, Luzula, and Carex
Cornus for winter stem colour
Topsoil blend and mushroom compost for ground preparation