h+m were appointed to prepare landscape proposals to discharge conditions attached to a planning approval for 5 new homes on a semi-derelict farm holding in The Weald, Kent. Located within a lowland agricultural and pastoral landscape, this area of Kent is considered to be experiencing the most significant climate changes in relation to hotter and drier summers and warmer and wetter winters. This set the context for developing a planting strategy for the development which is also sensitive to the surrounding landscape character and ecology.
The planting strategy comprised of several different planting typologies:
- Weald Meadow mix – a diverse meadow seed mix with a high floral content sustainably harvested from ancient meadows in the surrounding Weald landscape;
- Planted floral beds of mixed herbaceous plants inspired by the flower rich neutral grasslands which once made up a large proportion of Kent’s landscape, supplemented with non-native species to achieve a greater tolerance to changing climatic conditions;
- Mixed species hedgerows to enclose the perimeter of the site and offer habitat and wildlife corridor benefits;
- Mixed species specimen shrubs of small growing multi-stemmed species providing a human scale structure to the layout whilst forming areas of refuge for people and wildlife;
- Large specimen trees offering nesting and roosting opportunities and providing a long term climax vegetation type;
- Short mown species rich lawns to provide habitat for pollinators and to increase resilience to long periods of drought when watering may not be appropriate.
A low key lighting strategy and layout was also developed which focussed low level lighting fittings within the core of the site, retaining boundaries as areas of darkness to assist in retaining and promoting wildlife movements.