The challenge of designing green spaces
As we all know, it's becoming increasingly hard to find and build green spaces in dense towns, cities and other urban spaces. But once that small pocket is created, making it truly interactive, biodiverse and engaging is the next challenge.
The hardest part is doing this in a way that feels natural and integrated, rather than engineered or intrusive to nature and the human experience. Larger, heavier infrastructure like traditional play equipment can dominate a space and take away the natural character of a landscape.
This is where carefully crafted and considered urban greening add-ons and accessories come in.
Large bug hotel
Bee post
Pathways and stone seating
Urban Greening add-ons and accessories
At Meristem, we've been fabricating and installing elements like these for some time, building a catalogue of urban greening accessories designed to make green spaces more interesting, interactive and educational. Each has been created to integrate seamlessly with rain gardens, nature gardens, pocket parks, Street Furniture, SuDS planters and other landscapes.
Our brochure is available to view now (click here), where we explore each product in more detail.
We've developed three types of add-ons and accessories:
Biodiversity and Habitat Features - elements designed to support and attract wildlife, creating nesting, shelter and habitat opportunities
- Bug hotels
- Bird Boxes
- Timber habi-stack
- Weathering steel habi-stack
- Bee posts
- Ivy posts
Structural Features - Naturalistic elements that add texture, definition and visual interest to a space, shaping how it feels
- Boulders
- Elevated Tree pits
Access and movement features - Subtle features that influence how people move through a space, encouraging interaction and engagement with the landscape
- Gabion benches
- Stepping logs
- Stepping stones
What these features can achieve
Individually, these add-ons and accessories may seem small but when integrating into green spaces, they can completely change how it feels and functions.
They help turn green spaces from something that is simply observed into something people feel invited into - to explore and experience. Combining habitat creation, natural structures and movement guidance through a space, they support wildlife, biodiversity and human experience.
The result is a landscape that feels more active, more engaging and more alive!
Gabion benches
Bespoke bug hotel
Gabion benches and timber pathways
Interested in making your green space more engaging?
Read our brochure here. Get in touch to discuss how we can help design your space.
