Wildlife Garden

The Wildlife Garden is situated in central London and borders Cromwell Road, one of the capitol’s busiest and most polluted thoroughfares. Levels of sulphur dioxide and, nitrous oxides and particulates frequently exceed European standards.

In the late 1980s the Natural History Museum’s garden consisted of a closely mown lawn, planted with plane and hawthorn trees and ornamental shrubs. The garden was of little relevance to the museum and uninspiring to visitors.

A group of scientists from the museum began developing the idea of a ‘Living Gallery’ that demonstrated some of the major habitats found in Southern England. The new garden would “act as an educational resource to illustrate several of the United Kingdom’s principal wildlife habitats” and “provide a restful and interesting new garden as an added attraction to the museum.” The different habitats represented in the garden are: fen, reedbed, ponds, hedgerow, heathland, woodland, meadow and chalk downland.

The garden’s estimated cost would be £60,000. Money for the project came from 55 major sponsors including English Nature. Many other donors gave trees, wildflower seeds and shrubs.

The Garden's Aims:

• To illustrate the potential for habitat creation and wildlife conservation in the inner city
• To provide an educational resource for visitors to the museum
• To promote the understanding of lowland Britain’s flora and fauna
• To provide a resource for the life-sciences department of the museum and other naturalists
• To undertake species recording and ecological monitoring work
• To provide an area for peace and contemplation
  

Overall Aim: To improve and sustain the plant communities in each habitat.