Barnet Rain Gardens

The Vale and Colney Hatch Rain Gardens project by Meristem Design is an innovative urban greening initiative aimed at enhancing sustainable water management and biodiversity. Located in the London Borough of Barnet, the project focuses on creating interactive green spaces for residents and visitors to enjoy while helping to mitigate flooding. 

As the first rain gardens to be installed in the borough, they feature a fun and attractive design to brighten up the area and encourage local people to engage with the new green environment.

Barnet was increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change, with more frequent flooding due to torrential rains. To mitigate the impact of flash floods in their communities, the local authority invested in various flood alleviation measures, including the implementation of rain gardens in the most affected areas.

Covering over 194m2, the rain gardens include around 1300 plants, including shrubs, grasses and a variety of herbaceous perennials.

The planting palette was specially selected to suit the conditions of the rain garden, utilising hardy species such as verbena, cornus and crocosmia.

Rain gardens offer a flexible layout to fit into the landscape and are relatively low maintenance, creating ample potential for urban or grey spaces.

The Barnet rain gardens were built with walkways and stepping stones, encouraging people to walk through and interact. Absorbing up to 30% more water than a standard lawn, rain gardens are visual and sensory, making them not only beneficial for wildlife but great for people’s wellbeing.

We manage all necessary tasks, including water flow management, mulching, weeding, and ensuring optimal plant health, to support biodiversity and water management. Our team is trained to identify and address any issues promptly, ensuring the resilience and ecological balance of your rain garden.

With a natural design implemented, the SuDS provides habitats to a variety of valuable wildlife and pollinators, boosting biodiversity and creating an eco-friendly hub in two quite varied urban locations.