Designed by Nicola Oakey

The garden aims to highlight how gardeners can support the UK’s declining songbird population, which has decreased a staggering 50% in the past two generations. It centres around the narrative of a bird’s daily life, creating a playful, immersive  space for people to connect with  the fascinating lives of songbirds and inspire the next generation of  songbird champions. It also shows how people can make small changes in their own gardens and green spaces that will help address the crisis that songbirds are facing.

The design is inspired by the movement and  perspective of a bird, foraging for food and water while moving between points of safety and shelter.  Two pathways weave between layers of  planting, mimicking how birds prefer to move  through a network of cover. Bird-friendly planting such as arctic bramble, grasses and yew hedges provide natural sources of food, nesting material and shelter.  At the centre of the garden, the birdhouse den is made from reclaimed materials and incorporates six bespoke pieces of artwork depicting threatened songbirds. A circular pond provides shallow water for  birds to drink and bathe in. (Project Giving Back)