Green-tech Proud to Donate to Best Show Garden at RHS Tatton Flower show 2023.

Green-tech donated the PlantBox Green Wall system which makes up two walls within the Constructing Minds Show Garden designed by Carolyn Hardern and Jon Jarvis.

The biggest and officially ’the best’ show garden at RHS Tatton 2023 is the brainchild of Garden Designer Carolyn, and Jon the Construction Manager for landscape contractor Ashlea Ltd. The garden was awarded a silver medal.

Built by The Landscape Academy, the garden has been designed to raise awareness of mental health within the construction industry. Construction has the highest suicide rate of all industries, where an average of two workers take their own lives, each working day. The garden is designed as a calming space to help those struggling with their mental wellbeing.

The show garden was built using sponsorship donations and volunteers. Green-tech donated the Plantbox system to provide two 2.4metre high walls. The system creates a clever vertical garden, with a unique watering system that makes looking after plants easy.

The walls formed part of the Inner Sanctuary of the garden to offer a semi-enclosed private space that respects confidentiality and provides a degree of emotional security and a different environment whilst retaining the connection to nature. Seating and wildflowers assist with contemplation.

The overall design is based on the Japanese idealism of Shinrin Yoku and the benefits to our health through passive engagement to nature. With over 30 trees, 800 ferns and 100²m of wildflower turf, this is the biggest show garden. After the show, the garden will be moved to Clatterbridge Hospital, Wirral where it can be a place of tranquility for patients, visitors, and staff.

The garden has been designed to support and promote construction industry charities Band of Builders and Mates in Mind. Both Carolyn and Jon are fully committed to raising awareness of the mental health crisis within the construction sector and have worked on the design over a seven-month period.

Jon Comments, “This is a cause close to my heart and I appreciate Green-tech and all the sponsors that have enabled our vision to become a reality. Having Green-tech as national suppliers to the landscape world involved gave our cause traction and raised awareness in the market.”

Green-tech’s Andrea Questari manages the Ashlea account and adds, “This is such a worthwhile cause and great initiative to help raise awareness that we were delighted to help in any way we could. The Plant Box living wall system really does create a quick and easy instant green wall so was the perfect product for the inner sanctuary of the design.”