Esther Road Rain Gardens

The Esther Road Rain Gardens project involves the innovative and strategic repurposing of parking spaces on both sides of the street into Rain Gardens, a type of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), to help mitigate flooding and transform the urban spaces into resilient and sustainable ecosystems.  

By enhancing flood resilience, promoting biodiversity, and improving the aesthetics of public spaces, the project exemplifies how sustainable design can have a positive environmental and social impact.

Esther Road, like many urban streets, faced the challenge of flooding during heavy rains in 2021. Looking to introduce creative and localised solutions, Waltham Forest Council wanted to create both a functional and visually appealing space. 

We planted a total of 83m2 of Rain Garden beds, spanning three distinct areas, with more than 550 beautiful plants.

The Rain Gardens are situated at the lowest point of the road, with the road sloping up and away from the rain gardens in either direction, creating a bowl-like situation. Utilising a variety of hardy, drought tolerant species, the planting palette will also cope well with some inevitable flood events that the road will experience in the future.

Within the project, chamber covers have been integrated, along with distinctive red domes serving as overflow mechanisms, featuring downward-extending pipes. While the designs may vary, the fundamental structure of our rain gardens involves water entering at the surface, permeating the soil, and traversing through a specifically graded stone layer into the ground itself.

The stone layer, intentionally designed with 30% voids, is utilised as a reservoir for floodwater storage. In cases where the volume of water surpasses the surrounding soil’s absorption capacity, the stone layer is filled up first, followed by the soil layer. Eventually, any excess water is allowed to overflow into the sewer system.

To optimise drainage, the soil layer is carefully selected to be free-draining. Intriguingly, the rain gardens are curated to host plants resilient enough to endure prolonged dry spells, ensuring the success of our sustainable and flood-resistant project.

Innovative technologies, like “SuperDrain,” a porous carriageway allowing water to drain through the asphalt surface, complement the rain gardens. The rebuilt substructure with stone layers demonstrates how existing urban spaces can adapt to persistent problems.

The community’s role in initiating and driving this project cannot be overstated. Esther Road Rain Gardens are not imposed but rather embraced by residents who share a vision of resilience and sustainability. Their feedback during the planting phase indicates a positive shift, with rainwater no longer pooling but being effectively managed as intended.

We’ve received countless positive comments from the community, and we’re deeply grateful for their support. Together, we’re proving that small-scale, localised interventions like Rain Gardens are the way forward in creating a more sustainable and resilient future. The initiative goes beyond landscaping; it’s an inspiring example of community resilience, sustainable urban planning, and environmental stewardship.