A new garden in Oxfordshire is demonstrating how ordinary outdoor spaces can become the first line of defence against flooding. The project at Howbery Business Park opened on Monday, offering free public access to nature-based solutions that could protect UK properties from increasingly frequent floods.
The permanent installation builds on the silver medal-winning Flood Resilience Garden that debuted at Chelsea Flower Show last year. It shows how a typical terraced house garden can combine functionality with aesthetics to help address the urgent need for widespread flood mitigation across the country.
Climate change drives flooding risks
Extremes of heat and rainfall driven by climate change and years of underinvestment in water infrastructure have left Britain exposed to increasingly frequent and intense flooding. One in four homes across the country now faces flood risk, according to current assessments.
The garden forms part of a resilience campaign by Flood Re, a joint initiative between the Government and insurers to make flood insurance cover more affordable for households. The project aims to encourage widespread adoption of natural flood defence measures in residential properties.
Smart features tackle water management
Key features include a pond that doubles as a sump to collect excess water and a smart rainwater tank that allows remote drain-down ahead of predicted rainfall. The space showcases carefully curated wildflower meadow plants, edible and shade-resilient greenery alongside water-loving species including Baldellia ranunculoides, Caltha palustris, Lychnis flos-cucul, Rodgersia and Juncus ensifolius.
Garden designer Ed Barsley from the Environmental Design Studio said the project proves flood-resilient design need not be a compromise. "You can create spaces that are both beautiful and enriching, whatever the weather," Barsley explained.
Beyond gardens to whole-house protection
Flood Re said changes to outside spaces and gardens, combined with internal modifications such as specialist plaster, raised electric sockets and tiled floors, can help households reduce flooding potential and recover more swiftly. The organisation noted the collective benefit communities would see from widespread adoption of flood-resistant features and built-in water storage.
The garden supports the Build Back Better scheme, launched in 2022 to provide qualifying policyholders with up to £10,000 towards flood resilience measures. Flood Re said the scheme is now offered by over 70 per cent of the UK household property insurance market.
Permanent home inspires visitors
Kelly Ostler-Coyle, director of corporate affairs at Flood Re, said the organisation was thrilled the flood-resilient garden now has a permanent home open to the public. "Outdoor spaces like this are vital in providing a natural first line of defence against flooding," Ostler-Coyle said.
Andy Brown, joint chief executive at consultancy HR Wallingford which owns the site, said the garden "looks magnificent" and would inspire visitors whilst providing tranquil space for workers. "We expect there to be more intense and more frequent rainfall in coming years, as an impact of climate change, but resilient gardens such as this one will help reduce the risk of flooding," Brown said.
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
