The Bat Conservation Trust’s Nocturnal Garden

The garden

The Bat Conservation Trust’s Nocturnal Garden demonstrates how easy it is to grow plants that support our 18 resident British bat species. These plants attract the small insects that bats feast on and are simple to grow in the UK. The garden reminds us that after we enjoy our gardens during the day, bats and other wildlife can benefit from our plant choices long after we’ve retired for the evening.

A striking bat-like sculpture by UK artist Tach Pollard, graces the space, its curves and angles inspired by the shape of a bat’s wings. The rear boundary is designed to be dismantled and repurposed into bat boxes when the garden is relocated. At its heart lies a dark water pool, a tranquil spot to rest and watch bats acrobatic flight while reflecting on the future for bats in the UK.

This beautiful, naturalistic garden is easy to recreate at home and will help support bats and the insects they rely on. The bat theme runs throughout, in the garden’s shape, the sculpture and the educational messaging provided by bat experts.

Key plants

The planting is dark with touches of light blooms with native plants that may once have been considered weeds, alongside classic British garden perennials. The weird and wonderful bat-like Tacca chantrieri is at the front of this garden. Typically grown as a house plant in the UK, it is a fun plant to prompt conversations about bats in gardens.

• Acer platanoides PRINCETON GOLD: a stunning lit-from-within acer that appears to provide light in darkness.

• Tacca chantrieri - the fun, bat-like shape is a talking point in a bat-focused garden.

• Crataegus monogyna and Sambucus nigra - two hedgerow classics which when kept in form in a garden can be beautiful and fuel bats' prey.

• Matthiola longipetala - night-scented stock is beautiful for human noses and attracts bats' prey.

Plants supplier: Deepdale Trees, Barcham Trees, Kelways Plants and Beth Chatto Nurseries

Sustainability notes

The garden features a rear wall made from fallen timber, which is carefully milled to be the perfect size to be made into bat boxes after the event.

The designer – Melanie Hick

Melanie is dedicated to creating stylish, sustainable spaces that connect people to nature and each other. Raised among Australian gardens, she developed a lifelong love of the outdoors, which now informs her work across the UK, Australia and online. After a successful media career, Melanie trained at Capel Manor College as the world entered lockdown. Her first projects transformed neglected gardens for clients confined at home, and today her designs blend beauty with environmental responsibility. Through her newsletter, Grounding Notes, Melanie shares insights on garden design and the deeper connections between people and place.

About the charity – The Bat Conservation Trust

The Bat Conservation Trust is the leading nongovernmental organisation in the United Kingdom solely devoted to the conservation of bats and the landscapes on which they rely. Their work is driven by a vision of a world rich in wildlife where bats and people thrive together. Designer Melanie Hick brings her lifelong passion for bats to this project, shaped by her childhood near the flying fox colonies of Melbourne’s Yarra River and her family’s love of spotting bats whenever possible.

Garden legacy

The garden is being relocated to Clydach Community Gardens in Swansea, a passionate local gardening group with a strong interest in planting for bats and dark sky standards.