In May this year, we completed a planting refresh outside London's iconic Lyceum Theatre, introducing a new biodiverse planting scheme designed to support pollinators while maintaining a welcoming public space for visitors and theatre-goers.
Working with the London Heritage Quarter, the project involved revitalising a series of circular seating planters and granite planters with a carefully considered planting strategy that balances the needs of both people and pollinators. The BID's aim was to create a more pleasant public realm with refreshed greenery without compromising the comfort of those using the bench features of the planters.
How do you create a pollinator-friendly seating area?
Rather than just using strictly pollinator-friendly plant species throughout the planters, we designed the layout strategically. Flowering species including Erysimum 'Bowles's mauve', were concentrated in the centre of each circular planter to form, what we call, a dedicated "pollinator corridor".
A surrounding ring of Griselinia forms a natural green buffer between the seating and the central planting, helping visitors enjoy the space while providing valuable habitat for bees and other beneficial insects.
How do you establish healthy planting?
Alongside the new planting scheme, we removed the existing plants and replaced 400mm of the growing media with fresh topsoil and mulch to provide the best possible conditions for the plants to establish. We also introduced 16 climbing plants to the surrounding planters, bringing additional greenery and visual impact to the theatre. To support the long-term success of the scheme, our maintenance team will be making regular visits over a year-long period to water, tidy, trim and look after the planting, ensuring it remains fresh and vibrant.
While the planting is still in its early stages, we're excited to watch it grow into a vibrant feature over the coming months.
