A planted wheelbarrow, similar to those which will be appearing in London as part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival this summer
Award-winning garden designer, Joanna Kent, is working with a group of students and local listings site HugoFox.com on a new project due to take place as part of the Chelsea Fringe this summer – and it’s set to be wheely good…
The project, sponsored by local listings website HugoFox.com, involves a group of students from Testbourne Community School in Whitchurch, who will be planting their floral designs into wheelbarrows as part of the Chelsea Fringe Festival - a brand new London-wide festival of flowers, gardens and gardening timed to coincide with the world-famous Chelsea Flower Show.
Local garden designer and joint Hampton Court Silver award winner Joanna Kent (Gardens by Jo; www.gardensbyjo.co.uk) is co-ordinating the mobile garden installation, which involves the wheelbarrows being taken to Chelsea during the festival and wheeled around the surrounding boroughs, in an attempt to ‘bring Chelsea to the public’ whilst also collecting on behalf of the Dyslexia Research Trust.
Volunteer students from Testbourne Community School present their wheelbarrow designs
Currently looking for support from local garden centres, nurseries and businesses to help the project with contributions towards fuel, plants and flowers, Jo and the students are busy working on the designs for the wheelbarrows, many of which are based upon themes such as the recession (money tree, anyone?), the 2012 Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.
Jo tells HugoFox News: “The aim of the project is to raise awareness of the largely untapped horticultural design talents that are developing in secondary schools. There is a great emphasis on horticulture in the primary sector, but far less once the students have reached the age of 11, and the group I am working with have come up with some astoundingly good ideas which I can’t wait to see in bloom!”
Jo has already accumulated a number of wheelbarrows for the project
With wheelbarrows already sourced, Jo is now preparing for her minibus driving test, as she hopes to be able to transport the children to and from London using the school bus, and HugoFox.com founder Michael Thompson is also working hard to arrange ways in which the planted wheelbarrows can be delivered to London. In addition, Jo is hoping to gain support from local businesses, as well as donations from local gardening centres:
“We are currently looking for contributions of flowers and plants, or donations from local companies and individuals who wish to support the project, whilst also helping us to raise funds for a very worthwhile cause. Our students will be wearing t-shirts bearing our supporters’ logos as they wheel their designs about the city, and we’ll of course express our gratitude in all publicity relating to the event. This truly is a fantastic opportunity, and I’d love to hear from anyone who can help make it possible.”
With the Fringe taking place between 19th May and 20th June, Jo’s team will be wheeling their barrows out on Thursday 24th May, and again over the weekend of the 26th and 27th - catching the eyes of commuters, business people, tourists and locals alike, as the crowds head to Chelsea show.
Garden designers Jo Kent, Judy Cornford and her son and project manager Jesse Cornford at their Silver award-winning garden at Hampton Court last year
The planned route will take the wheelbarrows from Battersea Park, across Albert Bridge,
along the Embankment to the Chelsea Flower Show before heading to Sloane Square, down King’s Road and across Chelsea Bridge to complete the tour at Battersea. That’s some prime coverage for anyone looking to support a worthy cause whilst gaining some publicity!
Any support from local individuals and businesses would be greatly appreciated and Joanna Kent can be contacted on 01256 896325, 07771642639 and by email, jo@gardensbyjo.co.uk. Alternatively, get in touch with HugoFox.com by emailing victoria@hugofox.com.
For more information on Jo’s gardening services, click here.
