Using plants: Natural, green, practical and biodegradable.

Plants and planting can be designed to perform a number of useful tasks that can displace or reduce the need for more mechanical intervention, Planting can enhance amenity and comfort of spaces by providing shelter and shading. Planting on a roof attenuates peak rainfall to reduce risks of flooding. 20 [m.sup.2] of Miscanthus crop can heat one square metre of building. All these aspects reduce the environmental impact of the building, and increase the biodiversity of the space.

RELATED ARTICLE: Hampton Pool. Planting reduces the wind chill and evaporative heat loss from the pool.

Planting can be organized to shade facades in the summer and still allow daylight in and views out. Deciduous trees will drop their leaves in the autumn to let in more light when overheating is less of a problem, and internal blinds can deal with glare when the sun is out.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London. Creeper provides a natural screen to the public bar area under the seat rake and increases the feeling of intimacy and enclosure. Its texture changes as the natural light fades through dusk and the sparkle of the fairy lights adds to the theatre of the space.