I recently created a landscape plan for a proposed children's home to discharge a planning condition. The client wanted to keep the existing planting and incorporate it into the landscape plan.
As this was to be a future children's home, one of the things uppermost in my mind was the safety of the children. With this in mind, I looked at the existing planting and did not believe that any of it would cause an issue with physical harm in the way that prickly plants might do.
However, as I could see some potential problems with poisonous plants, I checked the existing planting against the HTA poisonous plant list.
The hollyhocks and Campanula in the front garden do not pose a risk and, even if self-seeded, I would recommend that they are kept and that anyone maintaining the garden does not uproot them or treat them with weed killer.
The privet hedge to the boundaries does appear on the HTA list. However, privet is a very common shrub used in many gardens without concern, and I advised the client that although it is on the list, I would be inclined to leave it in place, ensuring that it is well maintained, with flowers and therefore berries pruned out as part of a regular maintenance schedule.
As this is in the front garden, which is used for parking, contact with the privet is likely to be minimal, although this would depend on the children themselves and the level of supervision provided.
In the rear garden there is a well-established apple tree with annual poppies below. Poppies also appear on the HTA list and, given their position in the garden, I suggested removing them by hand rather than using a weed killer.
I also alerted the client to the possibility that there may be seeds in the soil and advised them to be prepared to remove any new seedlings each season.
The planting plan and maintenance schedule I produced did not include any plants from the HTA list in the new planting.
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