Inspired by the designers’ hometown of Didcot, where rapid urbanisation threatens to erase the soul of the place, the garden asks a bold question: why wait until a town has become a city, to reclaim green space? Cities around the world are now playing catch-up, racing to restore nature where it has long been erased. But what if, as our towns grow, green infrastructure grows with them, not as an afterthought, but before the concrete sets?
The garden will feature materials often left over at the end of construction projects, showing how these can be upcycled into something beautiful and useful. A bench built from reclaimed English oak and set on steel joists, reflects the meeting point of past industry and present craft. The simple, robust design is a nod to the rural and working landscapes of Oxfordshire, where steel and timber once shaped local life. Placed within the garden, the bench invites pause, a quiet moment to reflect on what was here before and what might come after.
Plants
The planting is inspired by the chalk grasslands surrounding the North Wessex Downs, rooting it firmly in its intended location. Happily, plants which thrive in the thin, free-draining alkaline soils of chalk grasslands are also ideally suited to conditions on a new-build site, which may be contaminated by (often alkaline) building materials. Plants have also been selected for biodiversity and many produce attractive seed heads, creating winter interest, food for birds and insect habitats.
