About
Ratty’s Refuge is a water vole friendly garden located in the grounds of the River & Rowing Museum. It was opened on Friday 1 May 2009 by Alan Titchmarsh. Alan is pictured with garden designers Ann Robinson and Angela Potter from English Eden.
The design is based on the Museum’s medal winning garden exhibited at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2008. This garden retains many of the elements of the Chelsea garden and is a valuable educational resource.
The original garden was designed to celebrate the centenary of Kenneth Grahame’s book ‘The Wind In The Willows’, whose much-loved character Ratty is a water vole. However, it has a more serious purpose too. Water voles are now Britain’s most endangered mammal and Ratty’s Refuge illustrates how even a small garden, situated close to a waterway, can provide somewhere for water voles to hide from predators.
Pond
The garden contains a pond which is surrounded by plenty of dense native planting.
The banks of the pond illustrate the type preferred by water voles for making their burrows, while the island in the pond provides yet another refuge. As well as water voles the pond is a valuable habitat for other wildlife.
Boundaries
The side boundary of the garden is open at the base to allow water voles and other wildlife to enter the garden easily. The dense planting gives the water voles the unbroken cover they need to move around the garden. A couple of ‘runways’ under the boardwalks illustrate how simple pipes can be used to make different parts of a garden accessible to wildlife.
Planting
The pond banks contain species native to the local RG9 postcode, and whilst often found in other areas too, these plants will thrive in this area and provide a ‘larder’ of favourite foods for water voles and other wildlife. The pond itself is planted with native aquatic plants which water voles love to eat, and which provide habitat and food for other wildlife.
The bog garden and woodland area feature a mixture of native and garden plants to illustrate that a wildlife-friendly garden need not be restricted to native species, as certain flowering garden plants can provide a rich source of nectar for insects.
Hard Landscaping
The deck, which extends out over the water, provides a peaceful haven from which to observe wildlife. Along with the boardwalks, it is made from oak which has been recycled from the museum and was also featured in the Chelsea garden. Decking was chosen as it is water permeable and prevents run off. The metal gratings are also permeable and together with the planters give the garden a contemporary feel and are a reference to the original design which was an urban retreat. The gabion seats are filled with logs to provide an additional habitat for wildlife and insects.
Sculptures
The animal sculptures are designed to appeal to the many children who visit the museum every year as well as reminding us of the inspiration for the garden. Each animal sculpture is located in its appropriate habitat; Ratty and Toad are in the area close to the pond and Mole and Badger are in the woodland. Ratty and Toad, in the ‘native’ area of the garden, have been left completely untreated. They will gradually decay over time and become a wildlife habitat themselves. Mole and Badger, in the woodland area, have been coloured to realistically represent the species.
The garden was created with the help of...
Michael Jacques Forge Ahead Ironworks