Pocket forest to sprout up near Harrods as rewilding craze comes to central London

The rewilding craze is coming to central London for the first time in the form of a “pocket forest” on one of Chelsea’s most exclusive streets.

More than 600 native trees and shrubs are being planted in a small patch of open ground on Pont Street close to the exclusive designer stores of Sloane Street and Knightsbridge.

The new 240 sq metre urban glade on the north side of Cadogan Square only yards from Harrods will be left for “nature to take its course” creating a friendly habitat for birds and insects.

The only intervention will be watering and mulching while the trees get established.

The initiative is a partnership between property company Cadogan, luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton, which has a huge store on Sloane Street, and rewilding consultancy SUGi (corr).

The saplings are being planted at an unusually high density of three to four trees per square metre to create a natural forest style environment.

It will have 22 species of native trees and shrubs including Red Campion, Sessile Oak and Hawthorn, and 55 species of native wildflower.

The land currently has a row of London plane trees and empty raised beds.

SUGi’s founder Elise Van Middelem, said: ”In only two or three years there should be an amazing little forest.”

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