Gold for The Children's Society at Chelsea
20 May 2008
Designer, Mark Gregory today celebrates GOLD success with his garden concept for The Children’s Society Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2008.
Mark believes one of the secrets of his success was playing and singing Led Zeppelin to his ‘living walls’ to ensure they were in tip-top shape for the world’s most prestigious flower show. Mark said: “It is fantastic to win Gold for The Children's Society with a design that proves you can have a practical, usable space and be environmentally responsible. To celebrate I’m going to treat my ‘living walls’ to Spandau Ballet’s Gold.”
Richard Johnson from The Children's Society said: “It’s obvious Mark’s green fingers have the winning formula - we’re now calling him Gold Finger! Thanks to Mark and his team for designing us a visionary space for childhood.”
The Children’s Society Garden explores future urban living, giving practical solutions for the environmental concerns of city families. It also tackles the loss of front gardens for alternative purposes such as parking, with a design where families can spend time together and children can learn about environmental responsibility.
The garden includes vertical bicycle storage, water harvesting facilities, waste and recycling storage. Plants are self-seeding and selected to attract bees, birds and butterflies. The use of gravel provides drainage and reduces the risk of flooding – 26% of all front gardens in the UK are more than three-quarters paved. The design gives practical solutions addressing the environmental concerns of city’s families and gives children of today a chance to build a sustainable environment for tomorrow.
Notes to Editors:To book interviews or further information please contact David Hudi-Dinnage or Paul Martin at The Children’s Society 020 7841 4422.
- The Children's Society is a leading national charity, driven by the belief that every child deserves a good childhood. We provide vital help and understanding for those forgotten children who face the greatest danger, discrimination or disadvantage in their daily lives; children who are unable to find the support they need anywhere else.
The Children’s Society’s Garden Combines five key themes to making childhood better. These are:
- Building safer and more imaginative communities
By promoting interaction with neighbours and other families
By meeting children’s interest in the environment
By encouraging them to take an active role in their environment
By giving them exciting, interesting places to play and learn - Improving well-being of children and families
Attractive environments have a major impact on people’s well-being, the pride they take in their community and their citizenship - Creating a sustainable environment
To address children’s concern about the environment by giving them families simple practical ideas about what they can do to help - Promoting family time
Giving time-poor families exciting and stimulating activities they can take up together to improve childhood in the UK
TOP FIVE GOLD WINNING SONGS
1. Gold by Spandau Ballet
2. Gold Finger by Shirley Bassey
3. Good as Gold by Beautiful South
4. Going for Gold by Shed Seven
5. Fields of Gold by Sting
