Forest Road Rain Gardens

The final phase of an exciting project in the borough of Waltham Forest has now been completed and it’s creating a beautiful boulevard of effective SuDs (Sustainable drainage systems) to benefit the area.

The section of Forest road running between Tottenham Hale and Blackhorse Road is now proudly lined with over 600m2 of rain gardens, with a cycle path to both side, and a view to the Wetlands. The rain gardens are home to 30 narrow forming Hornbeam trees, as well as a variety of other plant species.

• In Waltham Forest this is the largest location with SuDs running down either side of the road.

• Each side is home to thousands of plants, including grasses, Iris, Lavender and several herbs such as Rosemary and sage, creating both a barrier between pedestrians and cars, as well as creating a vital wildlife corridor between the adjacent wetlands.

• The SuDs are also home to Carpinus Fontaine trees, which will also provide shade, increased habitat and further water retention.

• Alongside the SuDs, new bike paths were added, creating a safe route for many who use it as a commute, or who access the canals from the Haringey area.

• The main benefits have been to target and improve both roads and homes that are known to flood. Rain gardens are also used as a wildlife corridor, biodiversity booster, barrier to cars outside schools, to soften traffic noise, to slow traffic, enrich commutes and bring communities together.

The SuDs of Waltham Forest now spread over a wide range of locations. The first scheme Meristem worked on was the Coppermill scheme back in October 2021. This is made up of a series of rain gardens and tree pits throughout the network of residential roads, including outside several schools in the area.