Workshop: Climate Resilient Gardens & Sustainable Green Spaces
Last month the Enabling Water Smart Communities (EWSC) project held a workshop on Climate Resilient Gardens & Sustainable Green Spaces at the scenic Beth Chatto Gardens in Colchester.
The event brought together development experts, landscape architects and enthusiasts to discuss innovative practices and strategies for creating resilient and sustainable green spaces in the face of climate change.
Attendees and Key Speakers
The workshop was attended by notable figures in the field, including:
Arit Anderson | Sustainable Landscape Foundation | Gardeners World
Andree Davies & Adam White | Davies White Landscape Architects
Julia Boulton | Beth Chatto Gardens
Key speakers included:
George Warren | Anglian Water
Arit Anderson
George Hudson | Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Marian Boswall | Marian Boswall Landscape Architects
Wei Yang | Wei Yang & Partners
Jo Grisaffi, Climate Resilient Gardens Project Lead at Anglian Water, presented insights from a survey conducted by 56 Degree Insights, which delved into the interest of prospective homeowners in climate-resilient gardens. By targeting individuals likely to invest in new builds, the survey unearthed valuable feedback on several key aspects, including pricing and the influence of RHS accreditation.
Main Areas of Discussion
The morning session featured presentations on understanding peak water usage and sustainable water use practices, climate-conscious gardening, and the impact of climate change on water availability. Attendees then embarked on an on-site visit to the Chatto Wood Housing Development, where they explored drought-tolerant planting, sustainable landscaping, soil management, water-efficient strategies, and enhanced biodiversity.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to the benefits of climate-resilient gardens. Discussions centred around designing for long term climate adaptability, perspectives of the water industry, and creating family-friendly resilient gardens.
The workshop concluded with an interactive accreditation session, where participants collaborated to shape a practical and appealing accreditation scheme for climate-resilient gardens.
Follow-Up Plans
We’ll be sharing a comprehensive write-up of the workshop, alongside videography and vox pops that capture the essence of the day. We are using feedback forms with attendees to help monitor outputs and any further work that is planned on this topic.
We’ll also be presenting findings from the workshop as part of the Enabling Water Smart Communities webinar series on 28 May 2025 - register here.