18 July 2007
NWDA goes carbon neutral at RHS Tatton
A unique show garden, commissioned by the Northwest Regional
Development Agency (NWDA) for this year’s RHS Flower Show at Tatton
Park, was unveiled today (Wednesday 18th July) by gardening experts
Nigel Colborn and James Alexander Sinclair.
The pair, who are currently on tour with their alternative
gardening show Green with Envy, officially opened the spectacular
Carbon Neutral Garden. The innovative garden has been designed and
created by landscape architects TEP and built by English Landscapes
on behalf of the NWDA.
L to R - James Alexander Sinclair, Bryan Gray, Chairman, NWDA,
Charlotte Read. TEP, and Nigel Colborn.
The concept at the heart of the design is the carbon cycle and
the whole garden is geared towards demonstrating how to offset the
carbon dioxide produced during the creation of a garden. As
well creating an educational tool, the designers have minimised the
carbon footprint of the garden and off-set any CO2 created in order
to ensure that it leads by example.
The garden features a number of sustainable and recycled products
in its design, such as reclaimed timber, recycled glass,
solar-powered features and plenty of limestone, which is
particularly good at storing carbon.
Once the garden has been viewed by an anticipated 110,000 visitors
to Tatton, it will be rebuilt at the Solaris Centre in Blackpool as
a permanent exhibition and demonstration garden. Solaris is a
zero-energy building on the Promenade in Blackpool which serves to
promote the actions that can be taken by individuals to combat
climate change. The garden will be an instrumental tool in teaching
children about the carbon cycle and will be maintained by a number
of community groups involved in the work of Solaris.
Peter Mearns, Director of Marketing and Communications at the
Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) said:
“The RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park is a key regional event that
attracts thousands of visitors to England’s Northwest every year.
It is a flagship event and the Agency is delighted to be involved.
This year the NWDA's show garden will draw people's attention to
the issue of climate change. It will also leave a lasting legacy
once it has been relocated to the Solaris Centre, where it will
help to communicate the importance of sustainability, particularly
in relation to climate change. We hope that the garden will be a
great resource for the communities and schools involved in the work
of Solaris."
-ends-
Notes to Editors
Free copies of the Gardens of England’s Northwest brochure will be
available from the NWDA Show Garden at the RHS Flower Show, Tatton
Park.
For further information please contact Helen Batte, Tourism
Press Officer on 01925 400235 or 07764 239856 or Helen.Batte@nwda.co.uk
The Gardens of England’s Northwest brochure will be available at
the RHS Flower Show at Tatton. It is also available through
www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com/gardens
or by calling 0845 600 60 40.
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is responsible
for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of
England's Northwest and has 5 key priorities: Business, Skills and
Education, People and Jobs, Infrastructure and Quality of Life