A new two-acre garden in memory of Queen Elizabeth II has officially opened to the public in Regent's Park, London, providing a vital refuge for the city's flora and fauna. Designed as an oasis of biodiversity, the space features a diverse mix of habitats, including wildflower meadows, native hedgerows, and a large ornamental pond, already attracting a wide range of species.
A Garden for the Queen's Centenary
The garden opened yesterday, in the same month as what would have been the queen's 100th birthday on 21 April. It is located in the inner circle of Regent's Park and covers two acres (8,000 square metres). The project was led by Matthew Halsall, manager and landscape architect, who began designing the garden three years ago. He saw the potential for the site to become a haven for biodiversity in London. 'It's right in the heart of Regent's Park, surrounded by many different habitat types, and therefore an important project in terms of wildlife-habitat reclamation,' he says.
Climate-Resilient Design
The garden is specifically designed for changes to the British climate, such as warmer, wetter winters and drier, hotter summers. Interconnected channels, or swales, ensure rainwater flows slowly through the garden, reducing the need for irrigation and creating very wet habitats in winter, which then become partially dry in summer. The garden's team carried out a planting trial to see how different soil compositions affected plant growth and resilience, ensuring the new garden can thrive in a changing climate.
A former water storage tower has been integrated into the design, with swift nesting boxes and refuges for bats incorporated into its new roof and brickwork. The garden includes more than 40 new trees, about 2,000 square metres of wildflower meadow, more than 5,000 square metres of climate-resilient plants, and an extra 100 metres of native mixed hedgerow.
Flora and Fauna Flourishing
Bees, ladybirds, and butterflies are already thriving among the 200,000 spring bulbs planted in the garden, including grape hyacinths and tulips such as Tulipa clusiana 'Cynthia' and Tulipa linifolia. The flowers chosen include many of the late queen's favourites. A large ornamental pond of naturally filtered water provides a new aquatic habitat for plants, insects, and amphibians.
Different habitats mean visitors walk through a more formally designed landscape towards a wildflower meadow. Gardeners from the Royal Parks were busy at work ahead of the garden's public opening, ensuring the space is ready for visitors to enjoy this new haven for wildlife in the heart of London.
