Date post: | 22-Mar-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | nigel-dunnett |
View: | 215 times |
Download: | 1 times |
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
The RBC New Wild Garden - Chelsea Flower Show 2011 The RBC Blue Water Garden - Chelsea Flower Show 2012
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Introduction
The Royal Bank of Canada garden for 2013 is an urban rooftop woodland and wetland garden, integrating recreational space for bui lding occupants, with innovative biodiversity
and habitat features. The garden explores the potential of ‘ skyr ise greening’ to bring mult iple benefits to urban dwellers, and marks a return for the design team to the themes,
style and approach of their ‘RBC New Wild Garden’ for Chelsea Flower Show 2011.
The garden features a central wetland that captures rainwater runoff from the garden pavil ion, and which also cleans and fi l ters grey water from the building (water from basins
and showers). This water can then be recycled in the building for toi let f lushing. Because the level of the water in the wetland wil l f luctuate according to the weather: f i l l ing up
after heavy rain, and reducing in dr yer periods, the water in the garden wil l ebb and flow to a slow rhythm to demonstrate this process. This ‘beating heart ’ symbolises the central
role of water as the l i fe-giving force in the garden. Water is circulated and aerated in the garden ‘Spring’, a large raised, shallow bowl of water which supports a single bonsai
weeping wil low.
The garden i l lustrates the importance and value of trees in an era of changing cl imate – for creating shade and a comfortable microclimate; for soaking up excess stormwater
fol lowing heavy rainfal l; for introducing habitat opportunit ies for birds and insects. The garden shows how rooftops can be used to create mini urban woodlands in even the highest
density areas. The bonsai wi l low in the Spring is a simple small-scale statement of the l ink between trees, water and cl imate.
The trees are planted on mounds on the roof. Indeed, the garden has a strong and dramatic topography of hi l ls and valleys. But what appears to be deep soi l (and therefore
impossibly heavy for a roof) is actually an underlying topographic structure of ver y l ightweight polystyrene blocks with a soi l layer over the top.
The planting is dynamic, textural and natural ist ic, f i t ted to the different ecological condit ions on the rooftop, and incorporates some of the latest thinking and techniques related
to the design of green roofs for biodiversity. Wildl i fe and biodiversity are important considerations, and the ‘creature towers ’ placed around the garden are sculptural, mult i-storey
habitat towers, bui lt and designed by the same team responsible for the dramatic habitat walls in 2011’s ‘New Wild Garden’
The garden integrates art and ecology; biodiversity with human recreation. The garden is intended to be used informally by the occupants of the building. The roof is s ituated on
a commercial bui lding and is accessible to workers, but could equally be on an apartment block or private residence. As well as seating and gathering space around the garden
pavil ion, two circular seating decks are placed with the planting at the wetland ’s edge. As the water in the wetland ebbs and flows, the seating areas wil l become surrounded by
water. An informal path moves through the planted areas, l inking the two seating decks, while a main boardwalk takes users over the wetland to the garden pavil ion.
The pavil ion itself wi l l be created by the same team behind the converted shipping container in 2011’s New Wild Garden, and wil l again feature habitat wall panels, and a sloping
green roof. The roof wi l l support shade-tolerant species, and is a green roof on a green roof. I t is possible that the garden wil l be relocated to the roof of Selfr idges, London, after
the show.
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Concept
ROOF GARDENSPACE FOR SITTING AND MEETING
RAINWATER COLLECTION AND HARVESTING
RECYCLING GREY WATER AND CLEANING THROUGH A ROOFTOP WETLAND
VARIED LANDFORM AND TOPOGRAPHY
ARTISTIC HABITAT STRUCTURES
INTERACTIVE FEATURES - SPRING FOOTPUMP
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Trees
Garden Pavi l ion - Green Roof
Timer boardwalk
Water/ Wetland
Curved Timber Seating
Secondar y Paths - reclaimed setts/ steel mesh
Roof Garden ‘balustrade’
Plan Key
Features
01
01
01
01
02
02
02
02
03
03
04
04
04
05
05
05
0606
07
08
07
08
08
Habitat Towers - Constructed columns
Secondar y path network through planting
Wetland: shallow water, gravel, stones, planting. Ebb and flow l ike a heartbeat to the garden
Small t rees on mounds created with polystyrene build up.
Circular seating areas
Spring – water source. Large f lat shallow raised pool. Perhaps powered by foot pump. Over f lows into wetland/stream. Weeping Wil low Bonsai
Pavi l ion. Green roof on a green roof. Art ist ic habitat walls
Raised entrance to ‘Roof Garden’
0m 5m 10m
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Design Concept - Mood Images
Boardwalks and pathways
Wetland
Habitat Towers
Pavil ion
Garden ‘Spring ’
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Planting Strategy
Prel iminar y Plant List:The garden contains four main planting zones. The plant mixes in each zone are suited to the soi l and microclimatic condit ions in each zone.
Ir r igation is available for al l plantings through the rainwater capture and grey water recycling systems in the garden
Zone 1: Shade/woodland underplanting. Rich and diverse underplanting, loosely based on the ground flora of woodlands of Eastern North America.
Aquilegia canadensis•Asarum canadense•Dodecatheon meadia•Mertensia virginica•Phlox divaricatus•Tiarel la ‘Spring symphony ’•Tiarel la wherr yi •
Zone 2:Sunny edges/green roof planting. Plants for free-draining soi ls in sun. A mosaic of bright colours and grasses.
Al l ium schoenoprasum•Dianthus carthusianorum•Er ysimon ‘Bowles Mauve’•Festuca amythestina•Geum tr i f lorum•Gypsophila repens ‘Rosea’•Helicotr ichon sempervirens•Hordeum jubatum•Melica alt issima alba•Salvia ‘Maynight ’•Sedum rupestre ‘Blue Spruce’•Sedum rupestre ‘Lemon Ball ’•Sesleria nit ida•Si lene armeria ‘Electra’•Si lene unif lora•Stachys byzantina•Verbascum phoenecium ‘ Violetta’•Centaurea cyanus•
Chryanthemum segetum hybrids•Dimorphoteca aurantiaca•Atr iplex hortensis rubra•
Zone 3: Wetland Marginal. A mass of blue Meconopsis with textural and fol iage plants.
Deschampsia f lexuosa•Dryopteris lepidopoda•Hosta ‘Tom Schmid ’•Lychnis f los-cuculi•Lychnis f los-cuculi ‘Alba’•Mattheucia struthiopteris•Meconopsis ‘L ingholm’ •Osmunda regalis•Primula x bul leysiana•Valeriana off icinalis•
Zone 4: Aquatics. Dramatic fol iage plants emerging from the water.
Cyperus eragrostis•Equisetum japonicum•Juncus effusus•Phragmites variegatus•Scirpus cernuus•Thalia dealbata•
Trees:
Betula papyrifera•Cornus f lor ida•Cornus f lor ida ‘Cherokee Chief ’•Zelkova serrata•
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Planting Strategy
Zone 1: Shade/woodland underplanting
Zone 2: Sunny edges/green roof planting
Zone 4: Aquatics
Zone 3: Wetland Marginal
Trees
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
Sections
A
B’
B
A’
Sectional Elevation AA’
Sectional Elevation BB’
Green roof pavi l ion
Green roof pavi l ion
Garden ‘Spring’
Entrance to roof garden
Habitat TowersWetland
Garden boundar y including l iving wall sections
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
Habitat Towers - constructed columns
Secondar y path network through planting
Wetland: shallow water, gravel, stones, planting. Ebb and flow l ike a heartbeat to the garden
Small t rees on mounds created with polystyrene build up.
Circular seating areas
Spring – water source. Large f lat shallow raised pool. Perhaps powered by foot pump. Over f lows into wetland/stream. Weeping Wil low Bonsai
Pavi l ion. Green roof on a green roof. Art ist ic habitat walls
Raised entrance to ‘Roof Garden’ 01
01
02
03
04
04
05
0506
07
08
RBC Blue Water GardenRHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013
Nigel Dunnett with
01
01
02
03
03
04
04
05
05
06
07
08
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
Habitat Towers - constructed columns
Secondar y path network through planting
Wetland: shallow water, gravel, stones, planting. Ebb and flow l ike a heartbeat to the garden
Small t rees on mounds created with polystyrene build up.
Circular seating areas
Spring – water source. Large f lat shallow raised pool. Perhaps powered by foot pump. Over f lows into wetland/stream. Weeping Wil low Bonsai
Pavi l ion. Green roof on a green roof. Art ist ic habitat walls
Raised entrance to ‘Roof Garden’