A SMART garden created by Warwickshire students aims to showcase how technology can boost biodiversity in modern times.
Students from Pershore College and Moreton Morrell College joined forces to create a major show garden at an annual countryside festival.
Together they are designing and creating a 30m by 17m garden at The Game Fair, being held at Ragley Hall in Alcester from July 23 to 25.
It aims to promote the use of technology in gardens and show how horticulture is adapting to changing conditions.
The show garden will be split into four distinct interconnected smaller gardens, all interpreting the ‘Smart’ theme.
The Climate Change Garden is designed to take into account changing weather conditions, looking at plants that will thrive in months of low rainfall and in flood conditions.
The Eco Garden looks at the importance of insects to the planet’s biodiversity, showcasing a range of habitats that can be created in a domestic garden. While the Production Garden displays how homeowners can make the most out of small space in their gardens to grow produce.
Finally, the Smart Garden is a contemporary garden, which shows how modern technology can be integrated. Its features include a solar-powered electric car charging station, robotic mower and vertical living wall.
The project has seen students join forces from a range of courses, including horticulture, landscaping and floristry, to create the garden – with support from a range of sponsors and businesses.
Gardens of Reflection has been appointed main landscape contractor for the garden and all of its team were trained at Pershore College.
Horticulture lecturer Mike Roberts said: “This is by far the largest show garden we have every undertaken and we’re all excited to get to work on site at Ragley Hall to create something truly special for The Game Fair.
“Our students have been designing this garden for well over a year now, as we had been planning to showcase it at the cancelled 2020 event. But this has meant more students have been able to engage in the project and gain the valuable experience of being involved in the creation of a show garden.
“We have had incredible support with local, regional and national companies getting on board to help us make the design a reality.
“It’s set to be a brilliant weekend. I know the students are looking forward to seeing their designs come to life and it will be a proud weekend for everyone involved.”
