Hedges Direct 
Hedges Direct were immensely proud to support DIY SOS in their latest Big Build in Blackburn for Children in Need. Blackburn children's charity Nightsafe, needed brand new accommodation for youngsters between 16 and 18yrs old who had found themselves homeless and without any support. Nightsafe offers a safe place to stay plus support and guidance for young people to help them towards a stable, happy and productive future.
St Silas Church Hall was originally built in 1834 in order to provide refuge for young people and was aptly chosen to be renovated for the project in order to once again serve as a safe haven and to provide for the area's young people in need today.
To support the project and help make not just the inside but also the outside of the property into a safe, private and welcoming haven, Hedges Direct provided several different types of plants to help make that a reality. Find out more about out involvement with this project and others for DIY SOS by reading our latest blog post. Click here to go to the blog.
Plants Donated to The Big Build
Plants donated to The Big Build were chosen for their different characteristics and uses. Green Bamboo is ideal for providing screening and shade and has a lovely, soft movement and long, fluttery leaves. Here it was planted individually in large planters as an accent, adding height and texture to the scheme. Its lovely aesthetic helps make a tranquil, peaceful space and being evergreen, it looks beautiful all year round.
Ilex crenata (Japenese Holly) was also donated to the build in both large pots and instant hedging troughs. Ilex crenata is small leaved and dense in habit and is very similar to Box. It is fairly slow growing so easy to maintain and is perfect for creating borders to define spaces. The DIY SOS team used the instant hedging troughs as stement accents to create visually interesting areas of green screening along the fenceline. The large potted plants were again placed in individual planters as lovely statement pieces. These potted plants are perfect for growing as topiary and can easily be clipped into shape or left to grow naturally as a shrub.
Other Plants Used In The Garden
The DIY SOS team created a simple garden that was low maintenance for ease, but also visually appealing with lots of different textures and heights throughout the garden planting. Other plants that were used in the garden were topiary balls and grasses. Both types of plants were placed in raised planters which were around eye level when sat down. The difference in shape and look offered a lovely contrast to draw the eye and create beautiful focal points.