Client:
Telford Homes
Landscape Architect:
Standerwick Land Design
Contractors:
Skidmores of Hertford
Consulting Ecologist:
Henriette Westergaard
Project:
Caledonian Road Development, Islington, London
Date:
April & May 2018
Size:
2,768m²
The Caledonian Road development in Islington, London is the site of 156 new apartments by Telford Homes, built on a narrow strip of land with SINC (Site of Importance for Natural Conservation) designation and within the vicinity of a Eurotunnel entrance.
Wildflower Turf Ltd were brought in to provide advice and grow a naturalistic, low maintenance wildflower meadow that would also meet stringent project requirements.
The site itself posed several challenges; difficult access which constrained deliveries, Eurotunnel loading considerations which meant a limited depth and weight of substrate for any growing medium chosen, plants which required relatively shallow rooting, and an installation area that was varied and sloping in nature.
In addition to these hurdles various ecological requirements needed to be met in line with the area’s SINC designation and general aesthetics had to be taken into consideration given the urban, highly-visible nature of the area in question.
Wildflower Turf Ltd provided the project with a bespoke-grown, all-native mix supplied to the specification set out by consulting ecologist Henriette Westergaard alongside Standerwick Land Design, and Skidmores of Hertford installed 2,768m² of Wildflower Turf in April and May 2018.
The podium landscape at the rear of the site, over the Eurotunnel now houses a mini-meadow of wildflowers which beautifully complements the natural ecology leading down the sides of the site into the SINC.
