RHS Tatton sponsorship sees Bruntwood explore ‘urban greening’ potential

Property group Bruntwood is investigating how green spaces can improve the health and wellbeing of people in urban areas.

The Bruntwood Experiment garden will champion urban greening – the process of growing plants in urban environments – by exploring the ways in which often-overlooked plants considered weeds could naturally colonise cities and towns.

This experiment will aim to demonstrate how such plants are able to thrive in an environment otherwise dominated by concrete and glass, supporting biodiversity and helping to enhance the wellbeing of a community.

The outcome of the investigation, which forms part of Bruntwood’s headline sponsorship of this year’s Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Flower Show Tatton Park, will inform the design of green urban space in Bruntwood’s future schemes.

Kate Vokes, director of culture for Bruntwood, said: “As our climate changes, gardens and plant life will play an increasingly key role in urban areas, from helping protect us against flooding and extremes of temperature, to supporting wildlife and helping communities to be healthier.

“Through our partnership with the RHS we want to emphasise the importance of enhancing plant life and green space in our cities for the benefit of the environment and future generations and we hope that The Bruntwood Experiment will help encourage conversation about urban greening.”

Ed Lister, managing partner at Planit IE, the design firm behind Bruntwood’s 1,625 sq ft experimental garden, commented: “The idea centred around the petri dish, how cultures are grown and aspects extracted to further our understanding of the world around us.

“This is reflected in our garden with the circular design, featuring 1,200 suspended plants centred around a raised seating area.”

Image: Inside Bruntwood’s experimental garden

He continued: “Much like a laboratory, the garden is a controlled environment. Species of city-dwelling plants have been selected for their adaptive properties and will be observed to help discover how they react to different situations.

“The water use can be monitored through the in-built irrigation system, while visitors can be observed to measure how the interaction with the garden affects their well-being.”

Bruntwood CEO Chris Oglesby said: “Our partnership with the RHS is founded on our commitment to improve the environments in which people live and work.

“As a long term investor in the city regions of the North and Midlands, we have deep roots in the places that we operate and forge strong links with our communities.”

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park 2017 will take place July 19 – 23.