Raising the roof at Maggie’s Centre Leeds
Situated in the grounds of St. James’s University Hospital in Leeds, the design for the charity’s 26th UK centre was inspired by Yorkshire woodlands and features native English species of plants, alongside areas of evergreen to provide warmth in the winter months. BALI Registered Contractor Swinburne Horticultural Services Ltd undertook the roof garden build and all the landscaping works whilst Registered Affiliate Green-tech provided landscaping supplies for the project.
The outside space at Maggie’s Leeds is as important as the inside. Inspired by founder Maggie Keswick Jencks’ love of gardening, Maggie’s Centres work closely with the architect and interior and landscape designers from the very beginning of each project to make sure there is a strong connection between the outside and inside space. They ask their landscape architects to use plants that will add colour, scent and interest throughout the year.
Leeds Maggie’s Centre is roofed by three overlapping gardens which step down and overhang to shelter communal areas. The challenge was to span and enclose the level changes and reinstate the site’s greenery. In this way, the hospital does not lose its last green space – it is lifted up, filled with woodland plants and made more accessible and inviting.
Swinburne Horticultural Services installed the rood garden and created the landscape vision over several months. During this time Green-tech supplied 270m3 of Green-tree Roof garden intensive substrate which equates to 150 dumpy bags and gt Roof Drain which provides a lightweight continuous drainage layer across the roof structure. It collects and stores water to irrigate the plants during low rainfall periods
300 tonnes Green-tree 12mm premium topsoil was supplied for the general landscaping areas, along with 44 tree anchoring kits, Mona irrigation pipes, compost and bark mulch.
In total 23,000 bulbs and 17,000 plants were planted which all help to provide a tranquil environment; a calming space for all to take time out and enjoy the nature around them. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the ongoing care of these.
Brian Watson, Landscape Architect from Swinburne Horticultural Services Ltd comments;
We worked closely with Green-tech as we had to work around challenging delivery restrictions. Being in a city centre and the hospital’s own restrictions meant it was imperative that Green-tech made each delivery to a very specific and tight timescale; which they did successfully. They used Moffett equipped artic trailers for easier unloading. The rooftop garden looks amazing and has been well received. I would happily recommend Green-tech.
