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Plastic Fantastic

Show Gardens
The garden tackles the issue of plastic waste in horticulture with creative alternatives to landfill that enhance the garden. Plastic waste is turned into seating and pretty fencing, hard landscaping surfaces and even garden artwork.

The visitor is taken over composite recycled plastic material decking, through a meadow and birch grove resembling restored landfill, to admire the recycled plastic fencing and containerised flowers. From there they can rest on a plant pot bench or take shelter inside the elegantly arched, eco-friendly garden pod.

The birch grove is formed by five semi-mature Betula jacquemontii, the rest of the planting is wildflower turf with species resembling native wildflower meadow. Rather than a single colour theme, the planting is a rainbow mix, as it would appear in nature, to resemble plants growing on recultivated landfill.

Birch is one of the first species to inhibit such spaces naturally and it is highly adaptable to any soil and most climatic conditions. The native herbs also self-seed on many types of soil and because they attract pollinators, they are an invaluable part of any ecosystem.

The garden represents a pretty and sustainable version of a wasteland returning to its former glory.


Turf supplied by Lindum Turf

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.