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RHS COP26 Garden: Mitigation

See design techniques, planting and landscaping used to improve the local habitat and help combat climate change


This gorgeous garden of mixed planting was teeming with wildlife and provided a counter-balance to the degradation of the Decline quarter.

Like the other zones, the area was designed in a spiral around the central feature of the Universal WIndow Box and demonstrated several different ways in which we can all tackle climate change. 

The other zones

Decline
Adaptation
Balance
At the front, different soil profiles and composts were displayed in giant test tubes, demonstrating the importance of a healthy growing medium and how it can be improved. Visitors were invited to imagine the worms and other fauna working away underground to improve soil health.

Behind this, a swale planted with a mixture of grasses suitable for dry or damp areas was constructed to demonstrate a flood prevention technique. Rather than holding the water back and releasing it in a great wave like traditional flood prevention techniques, a swale slows and controls surface run-off, filtering it back into the ground.

Be inspired by the Mitigation quarter

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Dense planting helps protect the soil while providing lots of visual interest
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A small green front garden sings with colour from hydrangeas, coreopsis and more; many of these plants are attractive to wildlife
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A mini 'meadow' of annual flowers provides an eco-friendly yet colourful feature
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Dense planting helps protect the soil while providing lots of visual interest
1 / 4
A small green front garden sings with colour from hydrangeas, coreopsis and more; many of these plants are attractive to wildlife
2 / 4
A mini 'meadow' of annual flowers provides an eco-friendly yet colourful feature
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This not only reduces the risk of flooding downstream but also filters out pollutants and provides a habitat for damp-tolerant plants.

Beyond the swale a pond with reeds, irises, Pontederia cordata and other plants provided a haven for wildlife while also helping control potential flood water.

Take home tips

  1. Planted gaps in paving are an excellent way to improve drainage and help prevent flooding. You can either lift slabs out of existing paving or omit random pieces as you lay them.
  2. Low-growing plants such as the Mexican fleabane (Erigeron karavinskianus) and creeping thyme are ideal for planting into paving as they won't obstruct access.
  3. Swales are an eco-friendly way to deal with excess water: filling them with plants slows down and filters water, helping prevent flooding and pollution.

The pond lead into a meadow where the mix of grasses and flowers including buddleia, echinaceas and cosmos was perfect for pollinators.

This quarter was finished off with a glorious, small but environmentally-friendly green front garden bursting with colour with gaura, asters, fox gloves and more. A permeable terrace interplanted with low-growing plants such as Erigeron karvinskianus (Mexican fleabane) and bee hives provide further inspiration for the environmentally conscious.

This last area was directly inspired by the work of the RHS campaign Greening Great Britain, working to encourage everyone to grow more in any setting.
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Gaura lindheimeri
white gaura
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Gaura</em> <em>lindheimeri</em>
Anemone Wild Swan ('Macane001'PBR)
windflower [Wild Swan]
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
<em>Anemone</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Wild Swan</span> ('Macane001'<sup>PBR</sup>)
Verbena hastata
American blue vervain
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Verbena</em> <em>hastata</em>
Gaura lindheimeri
white gaura
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Gaura</em> <em>lindheimeri</em>
Anemone Wild Swan ('Macane001'PBR)
windflower [Wild Swan]
  • 0.5–1 metres
  • 0.1–0.5 metres
<em>Anemone</em> <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Wild Swan</span> ('Macane001'<sup>PBR</sup>)
Verbena hastata
American blue vervain
  • 1–1.5 metres
  • 0.5–1 metres
<em>Verbena</em> <em>hastata</em>
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next

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.