
Wildlife Friendly Meadow Garden
A biodiverse meadow sanctuary to envelope and ground a new eco home in the Sussex countryside.









© Annaick Guitteny
Created for a contemporary U-shaped, timber-clad eco home with a central glass corridor, this once-blank canvas has been transformed into a richly biodiverse garden. A perennial wildflower meadow now wraps around the house, offering vibrant seasonal interest, habitat for wildlife, and minimal maintenance.
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Stacked log piles discreetly screen compost bays and septic covers while enhancing habitat value. Within the central courtyard, a gravel garden is planted with colourful Mediterranean-style perennials and aromatic herbs, creating a warm, sensory retreat.
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A resin-bound gravel path ensures smooth, slip-resistant, and wheelchair-accessible circulation. This material also improves drainage, suppresses weeds, and reduces water evaporation.
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To manage seasonal rainfall on heavy clay soil, land drains channel water to a lower corner of the site, seeded with native marginal plants to create a natural rain garden.
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The garden won the 2025 Sussex Heritage Trust Landscape and Gardens Award and was featured in Garden's Illustrated, September 2025.

