Paddington Recreation Ground

We are always delighted when our gardens have a beneficial impact on children and our work at London’s Paddington Recreation Ground (PRG) was particularly rewarding.

Over a ten-year period we created a number of connected spaces in a derelict and impenetrable site including the creation of a new Bluebell glade, the development of a wildlife garden and the redesign of the café frontage in the heart of the park.

Our work involved clearing the site to plant 10,000 English Bluebells and many new tree species, to create a diverse, urban woodland and Bluebell space while protecting one of our threatened species and providing plants for pollinators, birds and other wildlife.  We also redesigned the park’s playground, doubling its size to two-acres and wrote the horticultural management plan for the 17-acres of non-fitness related green space.  Most recently we were asked to add a ‘lazy brook’ water feature, fed by a natural spring, to the wildlife garden and to develop planting for both moths and butterflies, essential for local ecology.

The space is now accessed by 1.4 million people annually, including 7,000 primary school children as part of a Forest School Outdoor Learning Programme.  We were delighted to welcome The Duchess of Cambridge to the project in 2018 as part of the development of her Early Years Agenda.

We continue to work with PRG implementing their management plan to increase the biodiversity and wildlife in the park and to improve the outdoor learning experiences for children.

We are delighted that the Paddington Recreation Ground is also home to our first relocated RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden in honour of Sir Simon Milton who advocated for engagement of young people in civil society.