OPINION
DESIGNS FOR LIFE Carolyn Willitts, founder and director of design-led landscape architecture studio CW Studio, looks ahead to the issues that should be top priorities for garden designers during 2022 and beyond
THERE IS LITTLE doubt that planting for climate The growth in community actions, such as seed change will be taken much more seriously from and plant swapping with neighbours, was one of now on. We will see greater weather extremes, not the positive side effects of the pandemic-induced just warmer temperatures, and every garden designer lockdowns. Many people focused on their own back needs to take this into account from gardens during our periods of the design stage. confinement, and we all saw how While we already look to native we could use our outdoor space for ‘GARDEN DESIGN planting in our schemes, we will see positive mental health and better an increased shift towards planting well-being. Local and independent IS IN A GREAT drought-tolerant trees and shrubs, garden centres saw a real boost, and POSITION TO SUPPORT this will continue. as well as plants that can tolerate heavier, more sustained rainfall. It is also nice to see commercial SUSTAINABILITY AND offices Consequently, I believe we looking to the design of their will see many more rain gardens own gardens and making them LOCAL ECOLOGY’ incorporated into both public and places for their staff’s wellbeing. private garden design schemes. Garden designers want to see They are a far more sustainable way of absorbing more wildlife in their gardens, and planting that excess rainwater than letting it flood our drainage provides food for birds and insects, and trees, shrubs systems. They also look wonderful and are an effective and flowers that create a more diverse ecosystem. way of introducing biodiversity to an environment. This will be supported by a determination to The autumn colours we saw at last year’s unique use more reclaimed, recycled and locally-sourced September RHS Chelsea were fantastic. It has materials for hard landscaping and decorative encouraged a greater focus on autumnal planting, and features. We will also see more unusual or distinctive I think we will see more client demand for autumn surface treatments being used, such as Shou Sugi Ban, colour in our planting plans. a Japanese technique that chars timber, making it I also hope there will be more meadow planting with waterproof and last longer. annuals next year. The area can be small; I planted a It goes without saying that we should all be using three by four-metre wild-flower meadow in my own peat-free compost and considering the net carbon garden last year and it gave so much joy and brought impact of all the materials we specify within schemes; so much more wildlife to the garden. reducing material waste and reusing instead of We should also extend ‘No Mow May’, the campaign replacing is the way forward and I think garden design set up by Plantlife. The idea that mowing the lawn is in a great position to support sustainability and is an essential weekly task throughout the summer local ecology. seems to be fading as homeowners begin to realise the ecological benefits of letting their lawn grow out a little but we need to be more active in encouraging DO YOU HAVE A GARDEN DESIGN-RELATED OPINION our clients to do this and to enjoy watching what TO SHARE? Email: gdj@jamespembrokemedia.co.uk happens instead.
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2022
CAROLYN WILLITTS CW Studio Ltd was launched in 2012 by pre-registered SGD member and landscape architect Carolyn Willitts. Now with a base in Manchester’s city centre and a team of six, the studio focuses on creating bold, beautiful and thoughtful landscapes. Carolyn trained as a theatre set designer before moving into landscape and garden design, so brings her unique creativity and passion to every project. She won the Institute of Directors 2020 Innovation Director of the Year award, as well as winning a Society of Garden Designers Award for a garden in Hale in 2017. CW Studio was also a finalist in the 2019 Society of Garden Designers Awards, for its landscape design for the Moneypenny Headquarters, Wrexham. cwstudio.co.uk
GARDEN DESIGN JOURNAL
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