This small urban space was built on a brownfield site which housed the remains of derelict shops. The site was cleared of hazardous materials, including asbestos, and the ground levels were improved for accessibility.

The brutalist ‘Get Carter Car Park’ dominated the skyline of the town and provided the backdrop for this scheme. The space provided an opportunity to launch the new Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art.

The space was designed to provide a welcoming sitting area which would enhance the overall experience for shoppers and bus passengers in the town centre. The car park and this urban space were subsequently demolished to make way for the new town centre complex.

Urban space for town centre shoppers

Paving under construction

Paving under construction

Paving just after completion

Urban space just after completion

Urban space just after completion

Urban space just after completion

Urban space for town centre shoppers

Urban space for town centre shoppers

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This project in the northeast of England included the transformation of a derelict coal mine into a forest park, with a range of distinct habitats and spaces across 99 hectares. We created a series of zones of varied terrain, including a lake, a waterfall and forest, integrating the new landscape with the adjacent existing woodland. Focal points, created by local artists, are connected by a series of accessible footpaths.

The lake has been colonised naturally by vegetation and wildlife, and the forest park is now well established. The park is a public and educational resource, serving walkers, riders, cyclists and local schools.

Find out more about Watergate Forest Park.

Salix cuttings ready to plant around the site

Views of the lake naturally filled by 5 streams, with site works almost complete

View across the lake in winter

View of the lake, now filled

Settling ponds, prior to being planted

Salix detail

Salix becoming established on the lakeside

Salix in bud

Marginal planting

The lake in summer

Greenheart sculpture by William Pym

Swan

The lake in winter

Winter birdlife

Site Design

This scheme started as a decommissioned coal mine with an underground fire. The local authority carried out reclamation works, leaving the site safe and ready for the landscaping phase.

Over the following five years, I worked as part of a team to design and deliver landscape works across the site. The initial phases involved the development of sports pitches, enhancements to the nursery showground, and parking facilities. The final phase included extensive planting, a network of accessible footpaths and bridlepaths with interpretation signage and waymarkers throughout.

The site was planted predominantly with native species to create mixed woodland, hazel coppice, heathland and marginal planting. Additionally, we planted 160 varieties of Salix taken from cuttings from a national collection.

Aerial view of Watergate Forest Park as it is today. Image courtesy of Google Earth

Outline planting plan including Salix locations

Sketches of sections throughout the park

Detail of planting blocks around ponds

The post Forest Park – Watergate appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.

This local authority scheme started as a wasteland

In just under two years it was transformed into a functioning cemetery with seasonal planting

This local authority scheme started as a wasteland, which had previously been a quarry, then a landfill site.  In just under two years it was transformed into a functioning cemetery with seasonal planting, using a tranquil colour palette of white and purple. The need to cap the contaminated land meant that material had to be imported and spread across the site, and tied into the existing levels. This resulted in the landscape changing from a bowl in profile to a mound. What began as a challenge became an asset. The hilltop gave the chance to create views across the space.  We designed new railings and gates to withstand the impact of heavy vehicles on a downhill bend on one edge of the site.

From the entrance, paths lead around the parkland-style cemetery, with open lawns, ornamental and specimen trees and shrubs. To the east of the site we enhanced an existing wooded dene with a stream which flows into a pond on the northwest side of the cemetery.

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This local authority scheme started as a wasteland

In just under two years it was transformed into a functioning cemetery with seasonal planting

A tranquil colour palette of white and purple flowers

The same view under construction and after completion

Bespoke gates and railings

Bespoke gates

Bespoke railings designed to withstand the impact of heavy vehicles

Bespoke bins and water points are spread around the site

Planting is used to screen the utility areas

Paths weave through seasonal planting

Site Design

One of the design challenges was to separate mourners and utility vehicles as discreetly as possible, using a combination of layout, circulation and screening with plants. Careful detailing of the hard landscape features was required to ensure that kerb edges etc were robust enough to cope with the circulation and movement of utility vehicles.

Hard Landscaping Details

Outline Planting Plan

The post Cemetery – Gateshead appeared first on Anna Dekker Garden Design.