Gwendwr Gardens, West Kensington

The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
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The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham | 2016 | West Kensington

Gwendwr Gardens

Gwendwr Gardens first opened in 1949 after the land was gifted to what was then Fulham Council by the Gunter Estate. The gardens, which include a sunken area with a pond, lawns and a commemorative plaque, were built to remember residents from West Kensington who lost their lives in the Second World War bombings.

More projects for The London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

Background

idverde was appointed by The London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham Council to undertake the renovation in Gwendwr Gardens in West Kensington. Gwendwr Gardens is a public garden to remember those killed in the Blitz so it is a site of borough wide importance.

Gwendwr Gardens first opened in 1949 after the land was gifted to what was then Fulham Council by the Gunter Estate. The gardens, which include a sunken area with a pond, lawns and a commemorative plaque, were built to remember residents from West Kensington who lost their lives in the Second World War bombings.

Our Role

The renovation of Gwendwr Gardens involved tree works including the removal of some of the trees from the site, crown lifting and reduction, and general tree thinning. The crazy paving was in a poor state of repair and had become very uneven, so the paving was lifted and the ground below regulated before the original paving was then re-laid. The vegetation and foliage had become very overgrown so this was cut back and cleared to make space for new plants and shrubs. Some small demolition works were also undertaken. All the bins, some benches and the entrance gates were refurbished by welding and painting; these were then re-installed along with some new additional benches.

Following the removal of the overgrown foliage and vegetation, our experienced horticultural team carried out the soft landscaping works. This involved introducing a new planting scheme, comprising of approximately 6,000 plants, mainly shrubs and herbaceous, of 44 different varieties.  The new planting complements the different growing conditions within the gardens and will provide colour and interest throughout the year. A sunken garden, which is the focal point at the centre of the park, has also been filled with colourful plants and native flowers in shaded areas which will boost biodiversity.

Challenges

There were a number of challenges with this project. The site had restricted access meaning no large vehicles were able to get onto the site. This meant a temporary loading bay had to be created on the street to facilitate deliveries. Gwendwr Gardens is also located within a densely populated residential area so noise restrictions were in place throughout the delivery of the project, meaning noisy works were required to be carried out at suitable times when the least disruption would be caused to the local residents.

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