Landscape Designs For A Center For Independent Living For Young Adults With Autism For Oldham Council

Landscape Designs for a Center for Young Adults Living With Autism

Landscape Plan For Center For Young Adults Living With Autism

Copyright David Keegan Garden Design All rights reserved 2017©

Like many I am sure, I had not really thought about, or considered, the difficulties involved when living with a condition that I myself have no direct experience of. However, when asked late last year if I would be interested in designing the landscape for a proposed new development for Oldham Council that would provide independent, as well as assisted living, for young adults living with Autism I immediately said yes, seeing it as an invaluable opportunity to explore new disciplines and areas of landscape design whilst working on a worthwhile and exciting project.

Part of what initially appealed to me about this project was the opportunity to learn and research a new set of requirements for the grounds and gardens of the proposed center. What became clear quite early on was, not only the very different design criteria required to that of domestic gardens, but also the difficulty in finding any existing examples of similar projects in the UK, or elsewhere. One study however that became an essential resource for my research was carried out for a similar proposal for a center that was to be created for The Kingswood Trust in Wolverhampton. Upon inquiring it seems the gardens and the center unfortunately never saw the light of day. Still, I am forever indebted to the research carried out by Katie Gaudion and Chris McGinley and the invaluable book they wrote, without which my task would have proved a lot more difficult. The only other research I could find were some studies carried out in the USA but these were quite limited in terms of  usefulness as they focused primarily on young children with Autism. That said, it later transpired that many behavioral traits and specific needs of children with Autism were carried through into adulthood.

In setting out to design the scheme I divided the site into a number of zones, each with a specific theme focused on fulfilling a set criteria. In doing this it was also important that the location of a zone be determined by its function and purpose, as Autism effects different people in very different ways. Due to this the main access points to the garden needed to be open with all features clearly visible, easily navigated and understood from all points of entry. Although the different zones will be segregated from each other this is to be achieved by means of low level hazel hurdle fencing, allowing the garden user to view all areas, thereby reducing any sense of fear or threat of  a potential unknown. Zones 1 and 2, forming the largest open space, include designs for a water feature immediately adjacent to what will be a covered pergola, also accessed by a perimeter path. The perimeter path  provides a number of passing points for wheelchair users.  3 circular spaces set into the lawn provide unobtrusive and interactive elements, the first consisting of a soft rubberised base, followed by a scented mounded dome with inset seating and planted with a variety of herbs and finally a large round swing. As well as a central stepping stone path connecting the 3 interactive areas these feature areas can also be easily accessed via the perimeter path. Planting for each area is carefully chosen so as not to overwhelm the senses with either too much colour, or scent, but instead is done in blocks based on species and characteristic of form, colour, texture and scent, if any. Zone 3 will be a secret garden with a planned Willow Cathedral. Planting to this area will feature a variety of grasses that move and sway in the breeze, with the cathedral providing the perfect environment for those seeking some valuable alone time. A conservatory, garden store sheds and potting benches are planned to the area adjoining Zone 2 and 5 whilst Zone 4 is dedicated to providing a get out area, screened by low level hurdle curving fences, the space  is a pared back area providing little more than a tree seat, allowing for a calm retreat. This space is easily accessed from Zones 2 and 5. Zone 5 provides practical gardening areas by means of raised beds where residents can grow a range of vegetables and other ornamental plants. A line of fruit trees will soften the end wall of the center. Zone 6 will provide a shade garden and is to be planted with a variety of fruit trees, with further seating for those looking for a break from garden activities. Zone 7 is planned as a quite garden space for staff at the center to take a break, weather permitting. Zone 8 provides uncomplicated garden spaces for the independent living units, each planted with a low level boundary hedge for privacy, as well as Acers for colour and interest, for both the public street-scape and residents.

During the process of designing this project I happened to hear a program on BBC radio that made it all too clear why centers like this are so desperately needed. Due to a lack of facilities for young adults with autism many end up in totally inappropriate centers not set up, or designed, to cater for their very specific requirements. Many are also detained in these places far away from home and held under the mental health act, meaning neither they, nor their families, have much control over either their environment, or freedoms. The value of places like the proposed Limecroft center in Oldham cannot be overstated as it will be primarily focused on housing adults local to the community, therefore closer to home and family, but also  in doing so saving the council large amounts of money in the long run. In consequence I cannot understand why centers like this are not being created across the country.

Credits 

This project also gave me the opportunity to work with a wonderful, caring and passionate architect, Harry Randhawa (Triangle Architects) whose input and suggestions were always considered and focused solely on the needs of the clients who will eventually live in the center. Special thanks to Julia Walsh  (Sail North Consulting) for introducing me to the project and the team in the first instance.

End

Pictures of the proposed site for the new center. Existing buildings demolished to make way for the new center

Copyright David Keegan Garden Design All rights reserved 2017©

Links  Triangle Architects 

On the cover of a Magazine; Pro Landscaper

Pro Landscaper Magazine June 2017

What  greater way to cheer a damp wet Monday than to find yourself on the cover of a magazine!! 

The picture is from my award winning garden project in Worsley in the North West of the UK. The garden is featured further in the magazine too on pages 52 to 55. You can read my earlier blog entries about this award wining garden design by following the links below. There is also a link to the Northern Design Awards winners gallery. Happy reading and here's hoping the sun comes out soon!!

In the meantime enjoy your gardening whatever the weather ;)

You can view and read the full feature by clicking this link to the digital issue of the magazine page 50 to 53.

A Worsley garden wins Landscape Design Award 2016 in the Northern Design Awards for David Keegan Garden Design  Blog post Worsley Garden

Northern Design Awards Winners Gallery Winners Gallery Northern Design Awards2016

The Landscaper Magazine Focus On "The North West Embracing Diversity"

The Landscape Magazine May 2017

Delighted to have been interviewed by the Landscaper Magazine for a special feature focusing on Landscape design industry in the North West UK. You can read the full piece page 28-33 by clicking this link.

The Landscaper Magazine Interview

"Northern Design Awards 2016" David Keegan garden design scoops "Best Residential Landscape Design Award"

 David Keegan Garden Design & Landscape Consultancy

Awards winner Best Landscape Design 2016 #NDA16

THE NORTHERN DESIGN AWARDS 2016 UK

The northern design awards is a prestigious yearly event sponsored by RIBA and the Landscape Institute and brings together architects, designers, property developers and retailers in a celebration of northern design and style.

Residential Landscape Design Award 2016

Open to landscape architects, landscape design practitioners and garden designers based in the North. Judges were seeking captivating entries of exceptional spaces created on any budget.

The award winner 2016

I am delighted to share the news that “David Keegan Garden Design” have scooped this year’s 2016 award for “Best Residential Landscape Design” David won the award for his project, the Eco Garden. David described his project as the perfect balance between low maintenance whilst also creating a perfect environment for both the clients use and support of wildlife.

David’s concept for the winning garden

A big part of my vision in setting out to design this garden was to truly create a connection between the inside and outside spaces, but as a garden distinct from a living room, the aim of which to create the sense of being immersed in the garden even when seated inside. In setting out to achieve this I deliberately set out not to follow the fashion of extending the inside out, but instead, a separate space of nature that, although had a connection to the inside, its flow would be complimentary, rather than continuous. In so doing, whilst the 2 spaces coexist and connect, they offer a very distinct set of moods and consequentially, emotional responses. The end result when you are seated inside the house and looking upon the garden it acts as a calming backdrop and picture, as distinct to when you sit in the garden, you are immersed and escape the connection, and its confines, of what we call house, home and room. In that way the garden becomes a distinct, but complimentary, separate space.

David’s client for the project commented,

“I am amazed every day now how the garden in evolving, it is due to David’s vision and he continues to think about his projects and how he can make them even more perfect and beautiful.

David is an excellent storyteller and continues to be very curious about his clients and transforms all of this into your garden project.

My garden is a story from start to finish that has been beautifully designed, executed and is exactly what I wanted and needed to enrich my daily living"

The awards event presentation

Hosted by Wayne Hemmingway of Red or Dead fame the event, entering its 14th year, is held in a different northern city each year. This year saw the event being staged at the Royal Armouries and New Dock Hall, Leeds. David was delighted to be presented with his award by Noel Farrer President Elect, Chair of Policy Committee and Board member for the Landscape Institute and CABE national design review panel member. The awards serve to recognise, reward and celebrate excellence across a broad range of categories. Winning a Northern Design Award is a high achievement as they are voted for exclusively by leading industry experts.

You can view the winning entry by clicking the links below

http://www.davidkeegangardendesignandlandscapingconsultancy.co.uk/portfolio.php?id=32

For further reading on how the project evolved click this link for my blog entries

http://thegardendesigner.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/eco-garden-design-project-revisited.html

The Winning project can also be viewed on The Northern Design Awards website by clicking this link

#NDA16

Press and pictures please email David

info@dkgardendesign.co.uk

Northern Design Awards 2016

The Northern Design Awards 2016

Delighted to receive the news that David Keegan Garden Design is a finalist in this years NDA awards "Northern Design Awards 2016"

Northern Design Awards 2016 Residential Landscape Design Finalist

DK-Garden Design have been shortlisted 6 times going on to win the award 3 times Northern Design award winner 2010 and 2011 shortlisted 2012 and award winner 2013 and shortlisted 2014 and 2015.

Something Bug-ing you?

Something Bug-ing you, an article on humans irrational fear of wasps. 

Picture of wasp feeding on ginger Lilly flower taken in one of my clients garden

It’s that time of the year again in the UK where wasp numbers seem to reach their dizzy pinnacle as they fly erratically in all directions in search of those last bits of food and sweet treats. In fact, much like humans, they are sugar fiends.  It was a client’s question as to the proposed locations of some bug boxes in a garden design I am working on that led me to reflect on the public perceptions of these much maligned and somewhat unloved insects

Further I have become aware of a spread in fear and dislike of bugs and insects in general, but more significantly wasps and to a lesser extent bees. Whilst international concerns focus on the use of neonicotinoids, with their detrimental effect on bees being critically important, there seems little, or no mention, of their likely effect on the rest of the nectar feeding populations of insects and birds. Whilst the focus is rightly on bees, due to our reliance on them as pollinators, this overlooks and forgets the very important role that other insects play in the management of pests on our plants. Whilst lacewings and hover flies are important and non-harmful species in this line up of beneficial to humans, wasps are also a very important addition to that list. Unfortunately for the poor wasp they have received a very bad and negative press, with most wrongly believing them to be a harmful pest, with little or no use to humans. As a consequence I find when I explain to clients that wasps are one of my favourite garden insects in spring and summer, due to the number of aphids and other plant damaging insects they can munch through, it is usually met with disbelief.

Possibly a large part of our human fear of wasps lies in their ability to sting multiple times, unlike bees who by virtue of stinging commit what is an act of suicide. However this fear, in the main, is somewhat hysterical and out of context. The important thing to remember is, despite what you may assume, a wasp is not actively looking for a human to sting, but busily trying to collect enough food in the early stages of the year to feed the growing colony back at the nest.

A few wasp (Vespula vulgaris) facts.

1 All wasps build nests, though their nests are different from the bees, which produce a wax substance to create theirs. Wasps chew scraped wood fibre, creating a more papery nests.

2 A social wasp that is upset emits a pheromone to other wasps, signalling them to come and help. Based on this, common sense would tell us to stay calm.

3 Mating takes place between young queens and drones inside the nest. At the end of autumn, the nest dies off leaving only the fertilized queens.

4 The fertilised queen wasp emerges from hibernation around the middle April to begin the search for a suitable nesting site.

5 A queen wasp begins a new colony every spring. First the queen will raise worker wasps to help bring in food and make the nest larger. Then she will begin laying eggs. A colony of wasps can grow to 50,000 in a single summer

6 Although a nest of wasps can contain between ten to fifty thousand wasps there is only one queen at a time in the nest.

7 As summer fades and the weather becomes cooler the workers become tired and aggressive towards anyone deemed a threat. It is at this time of the year when humans are most likely to get stung as the wasps, having done the job of feeding the colony, are now left to their own devices as they die off. It is usually human overreaction and hysteria which triggers alarm in wasps that leads to stinging. Best advice try to stay calm and rational using gentle non aggressive motions to shoo the wasp away. Chances are they will leave you alone and continue their forage.

8 A few common sense rules during late summer and into early autumn when wasps are dying off. Don’t leave sweet sugary drinks or larger in uncovered drinking glasses or cans. If drinking from a can always check that a wasp, or other insect, has not inadvertently gotten into the can prior to drinking. It is not unknown for people to drink from a can only to be stung in the mouth, or throat, by a hidden insect.

9 Although for most a wasp sting will be a minor and short-lived irritation, for a small number it may lead to an allergic reaction, causing anaphylactic shock, which is potentially far more serious. If your reaction to a sting is severe it is best to seek immediate medical help by calling an ambulance.

 

Last but not least.

For the most part try to be aware of the very important role that wasps play in the control of agricultural pests, which in turn can lead to a reduction in the use of far more noxious and harmful chemicals. 


All pictures and content are the copyrighted property of David Keegan © 2016

Eco Garden Design Project revisited Worsley, Salford, Lancashire, Manchester

The Art of Garden.

Garden viewed from inside dining table

The Brief

It’s a truly wonderful thing to revisit a garden that you have designed and created within its first year to find it brim-full of colour, texture and most of all wildlife. The fundamental design principles behind this project, and the design brief set by my client, was for a low maintenance space, not however within the rigid disciplines of a traditional context. But more outward looking and European in its aesthetic. It was also a requirement that the designs for the garden display a strong architectural context, as well provide a haven for insect life that could coexist in harmony with humans. That’s quite a lot to expect from what is after all little more than a postage stamp size garden. 

Bug wall, green walls sculpture panels and Cor-ten pots.

Western red cedar was used to form the sculptural background frames for the Cor-ten Steel pots

 The Concept

A big part of my vision in setting out to design this garden was to truly create a connection between the inside and outside spaces, but as a garden distinct from a living room, the aim of which, to create a sense of being immersed in the garden even when seated inside. In setting out to achieve this I deliberately set out not to follow the fashion of extending the inside out, but instead, a separate space of nature that, although had a connection to the inside, its flow is complimentary, rather than continuous. In so doing, whilst the 2 spaces coexist and connect, they offer a very distinct set of moods and consequentially, emotional responses. The end result when you are seated inside the house and looking upon the garden it acts as a calming backdrop and picture, as distinct to when you sit in the garden, you are immersed and escape the connection, and its confines, of what we call house, home and room. In this way the garden becomes a distinct, but complimentary, separate space.

Stone cushions designed and made by Stéphanie Marin, Nice, France

 View from the back of the garden to seating area outside bi fold house doors

The Visit

On this my first summers visit to the garden in year one, I was delighted to find plants dripping with colour and insects busy collecting nectar. A plant of particular note here, as it’s the first time I have used it, is a new hybrid Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop'  a lower growing and more compact variety than the standard Verbena bonariensis, which can tend to get overly large and scraggly in a small space. Combined with Salvia purpurascens and Echinacea 'White Swan', I also used another somewhat newbie Echinacea hybrid, 'Kim’s Knee High', again, another lower growing and more compact variety of Echinacea, and with an almost metallic sheen to the petals this one is a real star. Contrast that with the soft lime green foliage, pale pinkie white flowers of Origanum vulgare, mixed with creeping lemon thymes, it all combines to create cool lower colours and the perfect foil for the stronger colours of top layer planting. Centered to all this is planted the compact Lavendula munstead, completing this haven of colour and scent. The effect of this style of planting is to create layers of colour and contrast from the ground up to just over 60cm.  Just about the right height for this size space as it provides a good picture without overwhelming the senses of the viewer. 

Planting to the cobbled areas is more muted with silver grey and bronzes to provide a framework for the central zone and includes such gems as Eryngium 'Miss Wilmott's Ghost',contrasted with the bronze panicles of Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster' which picks up the tones of the Cor-ten pots, cobble and boulders. Whilst   the striking and verdantly erect panicles and flower stems of Calamagrostis × acutiflora 'Karl Foerster', now green with flowering stems of soft buff, will extend to the rest of the plant as the seasons move and change, continuing the evolving sense of drama and contrasts in the garden.

A bumble bee busy collecting from the rich nectar store.

Even dragon flies have turned up in the garden to feed on nectar rich plants

The humble white butterfly joins the hunt for nectar.

Log store viewed through the bronze   panicles of  Carex buchananii 'Red Rooster'

Small raised planters at the back of the cedar panel allow hidden space for growing some salad leaves.

Design notes

Garden pots supplied by The Pot Co More info on pots (trade only supply) click this link

Custom made Livingstone cushions designed and manufactured in Nice, France, by Stéphanie Marin. More info on cushions click this link 

Furniture a bespoke order from the Skyline range made in Belgium. If you are interested in purchasing garden furniture from this range please contact DK Garden Design for prices.

Large boulders sourced from a derelict Japanese garden in Knutsford, the story of which you can find at this link. 

Intermediary feature stones a small quarry I found in North Wales the location of which is a trade secret. 

Base cobble is Scottish river cobble sourced from any number of suppliers found online. All other elements bespoke built by my landscape team.

Content subject to Copyright; David Keegan Garden Design 2016