A growing education Living plants are linked to scholarly exhibits in the Horniman Museum’s grasslands garden
Unconventionally contemporary in its planting, the grasslands garden at the Horniman Museum inspires visitors with its continuous colour and life
On a gentle slope in the heart of southeast London, sits a naturalistic display of South African and North American flora, popping with vibrant colour and gently swaying in the soft, warm breeze of late summer. It’s a visual feast and one that feels botanically very different from the surrounding 16 acres of manicured borders and green space, which together make up the gardens of the Horniman Museum. Since opening in 1901, the museum has sought to display, educate and preserve mankind’s cultural response and effect on the natural world, housing everything from textiles to musical instruments, living butterflies and taxidermy. In 2015, when plans for the new World Gallery were taking shape, an opportunity arose to redevelop an aged food garden. The idea was to create a display linking living plants to the new anthropology and natural history exhibitions. Wisely, the museum appointed Sheffield-based professor of horticultural ecology, James Hitchmough, an expert in naturalistic, seed-sown planting schemes and at the forefront of sustainable urban greening.
Given the role of redesigning the space, James explains: “The aim was to create a garden displaying the unique grassland flora of three different regions that have historically been inhabited and utilised by indigenous people, and are now critically endangered.” These include the prairie in North America, along with the Renosterveld steppe and eastern montane grassland in South Africa. While highlighting this plight, the garden also has to work practically, with a long season of interest to entertain visitors and a sustainable focus on its future management and maintenance. Beginning in early spring with Dodecatheon and Pulsatilla, the flowering continues with Baptisia, Berkheya, species gladioli and much more. Appearing in colourful waves one after the other, the flowering reaches a
“The visual changes in the planting keep the garden interesting and allow people to discover something new each time they visit,” says head gardener Errol Fernandes
peak in late summer with grasses, daisies, succulents and perennials jostling for attention. Head gardener Errol Fernandes confirms that the dynamic nature of the planting is key to its success. “Even as the flowers begin to fade late in the year, the garden takes on yet another look,” he says. Loose structure in the form of grasses provides context for the sepiatoned seedheads that persist through winter, before everything is cut back in spring ready to grow afresh.
Acquiring the plants was not so straightforward. Many species were not commercially available and much of the plant material was grown from seed in the museum’s own nursery, before being planted out for the opening of the garden in 2018. The plants have established well, although the blue stem grass (Schizachyrium scoparium) has struggled in places.
A crucial factor in the performance of the garden is the gravel mulch. At 150mm deep, it surrounds the root balls of the plants with only the bottom section of roots touching the soil below. While ensuring the roots remain moist, the gravel creates a dry, free-draining dry substrate, making it difficult for even the most persistent seedlings to take root. The result is a light and open habit to the planting, suiting the selected species and requiring very little weeding and no watering once established. For Errol and his team, this is not only a blessing in terms of saving resources and maintenance time, but also “a lesson for all in sustainable gardening”.
As the grass garden enjoys its fourth summer, visitors flock to witness the ever-changing spectacle. Bees, butterflies and other invertebrates also visit, taking advantage of the nectar and pollen on offer. The sun keeps shining, the plants keep flowering and the museum continues to enthral and educate visitors about our close connection with nature.
USEFUL INFORMATION
Address Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Road, London SE23 3PQ. Tel 020 8699 1872. Web horniman.ac.uk