Biodiverse Garden in London E17
The Rain Garden was designed by John Howlett for the RHS Malvern Spring Festival in 2025, where it received a Gold Medal. Inspired by the tranquillity of Japanese tea houses and the innovative use of Corten steel in Danish public spaces, the garden combined peaceful planting with practical flood management. After the event, Acacia Gardens was commissioned to relocate and build the garden at Coppermill Primary School in Walthamstow. Sponsored by Flood Re, the project provided the garden with a permanent home where pupils can experience firsthand how gardens contribute to climate resilience and biodiversity.
Photographer: Marina Walker for Flood Re
The relocation was overseen by Acacia Gardens’ in-house construction team, experienced in delivering complex garden builds. The work involved preparing and levelling the site, installing corten steel edging, gabion walls and benches, positioning boulders, and assembling pergola frames and walkways.
Wildlife features such as bug hotels, log piles, and a water feature planter were reinstated to ensure the garden offered ecological as well as educational value. These elements linked the school grounds to the nearby Walthamstow Wetlands and created habitats for birds, insects, and small mammals.
Sustainability was a key focus of the relocation. Our team employed low-impact methods such as ground screws instead of concrete, permeable paths to enable water to naturally infiltrate the soil, and rain chains to divert roof water into harvesting tanks before it disperses into the swale. These measures reduce pressure on drains, enhance soil health, and show how gardens can adapt to extreme weather.
Planting was carried out collaboratively between Acacia Gardens and the designer. Our team planted seven large trees to create structure, shade, and a sense of permanence, while John Howlett outlined and completed the detailed planting scheme. Hundreds of shrubs and perennials were introduced, selected for their ability to thrive in both wet and dry conditions.
A restrained palette of greens, whites, and rust tones established cohesion and reflected the contemplative mood of the original Malvern garden. Together, the planting and trees offer biodiversity, seasonal interest, and practical flood management.
At Coppermill Primary School, the Rain Garden has become a living classroom where pupils can learn about sustainable drainage systems, biodiversity, and the significance of urban green spaces. It offers shade, quiet sensory areas, and a valuable resource that promotes both education and wellbeing.
The relocation of the Rain Garden demonstrates how temporary show gardens can be given a second life. At RHS Malvern, it inspired visitors with ideas for flood resilience. At Coppermill School, it continues to inspire, teach, and support wellbeing every day.
The official garden opening was held at Coppermill Primary School in September, attended by John Howlett, Acacia Gardens, Flood Re and local councillors.
We are proud to have contributed to this award-winning garden at Coppermill School. Our team carefully reconstructed it so that John’s vision could become a lasting feature. It now provides children and the wider community with a space that is both beautiful and educational. Congratulations to John for his gold medal, it was well deserved and his garden will now live on at Coppermill School.
Herman Pobrati
Managing Director Acacia Gardens Ltd
