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| Sector |
Education |
| Project type |
Refurbishment |
| Services provided |
Product / system manufacture Product / system supply |
| Year completed |
2017 |
| Project location |
London |
| Client |
Little Jungle Nursery |
| Products used |
Woodland Shade Meadowmat |
Little Jungle Nursery in SE London has strong environmental and ecological ideals. Being in a densely populated area of London they have limited greenspace of their own but nevertheless wished to bring plants, pollinators and other wildlife into their environment.
In front of the nursery - essentially in the street - was a storage shed for pushchairs and prams. One of the parents (an architect) suggested adding a green roof to the shed. This would not only add interest, but would also bring some much needed greenery to the area and help support local wildlife.
The proportions of the buggy shed mean that the roof is clearly visible from the window and children wouldn't need to be on the street in order to watch flowers develop and see insects at work.
Nursery Director Tarek El-Semmen did some online research and discovered Enviromat Sedum Matting, grown in Norfolk by Harrowden Turf Ltd, and ideal for creating small green roofs. He called National Sales Manager, Chris Carr for more information. Chris introduced Tarek to the idea of growing wildflowers on the roof as the study and identification of native plants is on the primary school curriculum.
Meadowmat wildflower turf is also grown by Harrowden Turf Ltd and sounded to Tarek like the ideal product for his project.
Woodland Shade Meadowmat was chosen from the 5 available varieties. The street is partially shaded for some of the day because of the proliferation of buildings and it was felt that the species in Woodland Shade Meadowmat were best suited to this environment.
Installation took place in early May 2017 with the clients undertaking all of the work themselves.
Within 2 weeks of installation, flowers were already beginning to appear on the roof. The client is delighted with the results and the roof has generated a lot of positive feedback from the children and their parents. Apparently all age groups are fascinated by the wildflowers and the creatures they attract. It's a great conversation piece.
Chris Carr from Harrowden Turf said: "This is the sort of project I love. It's not about ticking boxes on a planning application, it stems from a genuine desire to help the environment. Little Jungle Nursery may not have created a massive green roof, but it is a green roof that with touch a great many lives. This is a great way to encourage people to pay more attention to understanding and working with nature. It sets an example for us all."
