Birmingham mosaic forms part of Urban Oasis at world's largest flower show

PRESS RELEASE

 Birmingham mosaic forms part of Urban Oasis at world’s largest flower show



Caption: The Birmingham mosaic, which will form part of the Groundwork Hampton Court Palace Show garden.

A mosaic created to celebrate the regeneration of a Birmingham community will be taken to the world’s largest flower show this week to form part of a centrepiece garden.
The mosaic will be part of the Groundwork Urban Oasis exhibit, created by landscape designer and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw.

The 1,600m2 garden is designed to showcase the best of community gardening in urban areas. It brings together elements from gardens that Chris Beardshaw has created for this year’s major UK flower shows in a partnership with environmental charity Groundwork and the RHS.

The 6ft x 3ft 7in mosaic, designed by Bromsgrove artist Jackie Nash in 2010, was created by the community on the Waterworks Estate in Edgbaston. It depicts community gardens on the estate, along with Perrotts Folly and the waterworks tower, landmarks that inspired JRR Tolkien when he was writing The Lord of the Rings.

The Waterworks Estate, which had been plagued by prostitution, crime and drug abuse, has been transformed in the last 15 years by a committed group of local campaigners. 
One of them, Chris Hoare of the Birmingham SW group, said: “Our mosaic celebrates the work we have been able to achieve on the estate. I hope it will inspire people who see it at Hampton Court to think about what they can do in their neighbourhoods to improve things for residents.

"We have worked on several projects with Groundwork to create gardens for the estate and I know what a fantastic difference they have made."

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To download the press release click here

For more information, or to arrange interviews with Chris Beardshaw, please contact:
Garry Campbell, Senior Press & PR Officer, Groundwork UK
T: 0121 237 5811
M: 07703 535841
E: garry.campbell@groundwork.org.uk 

Notes to the Editor:

About the gardens*
For the first time ever, the RHS will be working in partnership to bring an exhibit to every RHS show this season:

  • RHS Show Cardiff: 20 – 22 April 2012 Malvern Spring Gardening Show: 10 – 13 May 2012
  • RHS Chelsea Flower Show: 22 – 26 May 2012
  • BBC Gardeners’ World Live: 13 – 17 June 2012
  • RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show: 03 – 08 July 2012
  • RHS Flower Show Tatton Park: 18 – 22 July 2012


About RHS Britain in Bloom
RHS Britain in Bloom and RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood more than 2,800 communities around the UK to improve their local environment. Using gardening as a tool, volunteers in cities, towns, villages, urban communities and neighbourhoods work together to make positive changes that touch the lives of millions. To find out more, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/communities 

About Groundwork
Groundwork is the community charity with a green heart.  We want places to look better, streets to be safer and outside areas to be green and beautiful.  We want people of all ages to be able to do stuff together to make the best of where they live.  We want to improve job prospects by offering training and employment opportunities.  We want to show people how they can make their homes and workplaces better for the environment and cheaper to run.
www.operationgroundwork.org.uk  

 About Ecover
Ecover, producer of innovative, effective cleaning products designed to make a healthy and sustainable lifestyle easy, is this year’s new headline sponsor for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Ecover seeks to contribute to the process of creating economical, ecological and social change within our society for people today and future generations

About the RHS
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s foremost gardening charity, helping and inspiring millions of people to garden. We do this at our gardens and shows and through our scientific research, publications, libraries and our education and community programmes. We are entirely funded by our members, visitors and supporters.
RHS membership is for anyone with an interest in gardening. Support the RHS and secure a healthy future for gardening. For more information call: 0845 130 4646, or visit www.rhs.org.uk
RHS Registered Charity No. 222879/SC038262