Colchester Meanwhile Garden

The first stage of planting has recently gone in for the 'meanwhile garden' in the centre of Colchester. We have been working with Colchester City Council to create a temporary garden on a currently unused site between Firstsite Gallery and the Curzon cinema. 

We have carefully selected a range of mostly drought tolerant Mediterranean species; plants we have grown and tested for many years in our Gravel Garden. The growing medium is a mix of gravelly soil and crushed brick and concrete of varying sizes sourced from a neighbouring development. This reusing of materials avoids waste being unnecessarily carted to landfill. 

The second phase of planting will be added in the spring alongside structural elements such as seating. We are very much looking forward to seeing how this area develops over the coming year. 

A huge thank you to all of the wonderful volunteers who have helped to clear and plant the area so far.

List of drought tolerant plants used so far:

Agapanthus africanus [Twister] ('Ambic001')

Asphodeline lutea

Briza triloba

Cistus salviifolius Restonica strain

Dianthus carthusianorum

Erigeron karvinskianus

Hyssopus officinalis f. albus

Nepeta racemosa 'Walkers Low'

Origanum vulgare 'Thumble's Variety'

Phlomis russeliana

Salvia 'Blue Spire'

Salvia nemorosa 'Amethyst'

Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica 'Vatican Pink'

Thymus longicaulis

Verbascum bombyciferum

Verbena bonariensis

Verbena hastata f. rosea

Stipa barbata

Stipa tenuissima

Oenothera lindheimeri