The newly formed Housing Trust wanted to attract future residents to this large under occupied home offering supported accommodation for the elderly in an ‘difficult’ inner city area. Consultation with the residents resulted in the idea to build a garden next to the residents lounge. Doors from this lounge opened out onto the small area of east facing land and the aspect presented a design challenge for any planting scheme as the residents especially wanted lots of colourful flowers. There was a public footpath running alongside the boundary of the garden with only a low fence giving minimal privacy and a number of over mature willow and sycamore trees along a nearby boundary, the shade from which further exacerbated the limits to any planting scheme.
Further consultation with the residents produced a shopping list, which included metal seating, screening and raised planters to provide opportunity for residents to grow their own plants. Maintenance for the grounds was contracted out and was likely to be minimal therefore the scheme needed to accommodate that. Screening was provided using tough metal grille chosen to combat the very real risk of vandalism and as support for a variety of climbing plants. The position was orientated to minimise the already limited access to light in this shady east - facing corner would, when mature, give some screening from the street adjacent. Paths connecting the front entrance of the building with the garden and giving wheelchair access from the lounge across the garden to the new seating installed under existing ornamental trees were put in. Simple raised beds were made from railway sleepers, containing a range of tough flowering plants.
