Chris Beardshaw's Worcestershire orchard bears inner city fruit

Press release
08 May 2012

For immediate release

(download the press release)

An urban orchard created by landscape designer and broadcaster Chris Beardshaw will be unveiled at this week’s Malvern Spring Gardening Show to demonstrate how food growing can take off in the unlikeliest of places. 

The show garden, called Urban Oasis, is devised by Groundwork and the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)* and will be exhibited at the show, which runs from May 10 – 13th. 

Sponsored by Marks & Spencer and Three Counties Agricultural Society, the garden is inspired by an orchard planted in a scrap of land amongst high rise blocks of flats in north London and demonstrates how easily plants and trees can soften the hostility of concrete.  It features portable allotments planted into aggregate bags to show how the smallest place can be used to grow food.  

Urban Oasis also includes a natural play area - a place for children to explore and use the natural environment to inspire imaginative play.  A natural play apparatus for children is made out of recycled wood from trees that were past their fruiting years. 

In the Worcestershire countryside large orchards are commonplace, but an average town orchard will contain between six and 21 trees.   Urban Oasis shows how an urban orchard can be a place of beauty – wildflowers will encourage bees and pollination and it can also be used as a place for people of all ages to learn how to grow fruit and flowers. Some groups even use town-grown apples to make cider.

Chris Beardshaw, who visited a number of Groundwork community green space projects across the UK earlier this year, said:  “The green space around us – where we live and work – has a fundamental effect on our emotions and behaviour.  It is well documented that in areas where these spaces are neglected and poorly designed we see strong evidence of social unrest and it is easy to see why when you stand in these spaces yourself. 

“Whatever the green need there is a solution and contrary to popular belief it doesn’t have to mean high cost – the Urban Oasis Gardens showcase design solutions which can make such a difference in people's lives.”

The Malvern Urban Oasis is the second in a series of show gardens by Groundwork and the RHS to showcase some of the most challenging urban environments where gardening, community work and good quality landscape design have brought people together and yielded powerful social benefits.  It also marks the first time the RHS has worked with a partner to bring an exhibit to every RHS show this season, starting with Cardiff, a fitting tribute to celebrate Groundwork’s 30th birthday. 

ENDS

For further information please visit:  www.operationgroundwork.org.uk/urban-oasis/malvern-spring-gardening-show.  

For requests to interview Chris Beardshaw on press day (May 10) contact:

Garry Campbell, Senior Press & PR Officer, Groundwork UK
T:      0121 237 5811
M:    07703 535841
E:      garry.campbell@groundwork.org.uk

Notes to Editors

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, starting with Cardiff:
  • 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 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

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.groundwork.org.uk