Hillwood Primary School

Bugs will love this garden. Theres a sedum roof for food and a bug hotel where they can stay. People will love the carrots and lettuce planted in amongst the wildlife planting and that this rain garden over two levels holds on to rain and reduces flooding.

A garden over two levels, a sedum roof catches and slows rain flow, and a sunken area surrounded by pebbles provides  space for water to pool and collect in heavy rain. The bug hotel is raised up to keep their feet out of the water.  The garden base is made from reclaimed wood and filled with soil. Planting is on two levels, with a sedum roof on the top, and the lower garden planted out with flowers interspersed with carrots and lettuce.

A sedum roof is a type of living roof made from vegetation. Sedum is a type of succulent plant that stores water in its leaves and absorbs carbon dioxide at night. Sedum is a hardy, lightweight plant that requires little maintenance when made into a roof and can withstand drought.  A living roof has many benefits including absorbing rainwater, providing insulation and creating habitat for wildlife. Since sedum takes time to grow, Hillwood pupils have used moss for the finished build of their garden - great adaptation!

This garden is the perfect habitat for bugs, with three bug hotels made from reused plastic bottles and sticks hanging from the top level.

Sedum roof and bug hotels

Garden base

Setting up at Gardening Scotland

This Pocket Garden is a Rain Garden.  A rain garden is an area of plants designed to hold rainfall, then slowly release it, helping to reduce the severity of flooding.  Rain gardens filter the water naturally through their plants, soil and gravel. This filtered, clean water then flows more slowly to our rivers and streams. Any way of temporarily holding rain can be a rain garden, like a planter box that sits below a downpipe. Ideas about how to grow a rain garden can be found here.