This Sanctuary Show Garden was designed by Martyn Wilson to celebrate the work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The brief was formulated to highlight different ways that we can encourage wildlife into our gardens by providing a range of habitats and a diverse planting palette providing a range of food sources.
The final design was a semi rural garden that overlooked a wider landscape and included a timber building manufactured by Whittle & Earth with a viewing platform and hide in which nature could be watched but also a space that could be used to relax and dine.
There were also terraces that could be used for relaxing in the garden, these were surrounded by generous planting beds with native tree species and an abundance or herbaceous planting creating a rich tapestry for wildlife.
A feature wall was created using traditional dry stone walling that housed communal nesting boxes preferred by sparrows that are in decline, there were also nesting boxes for bats and hedgehogs as well as habitat for bees and insects. Dead hedges also featured but rather than the conventional mass of dead twigs these were set within sleek laser cut corten baskets by Stark and Greensmith.
A plastic water rill runs through the garden to link to the RSPCA's rescuing wild animals and the amount of resources it takes to save animals that are trapped or have ingested discarded plastic.
The result was a stylish, modern garden that created a beautiful functional space for people to connect with nature. It was fabulous working with Martyn and the wider team on this garden which is being relocated at a RSPCA rescue centre in Stapeley Grange.
