
Create a Global Garden for the Manchester Flower Festival with the Cloud Gardener
This project gives you the opportunity to get hands-on experience transforming urban small spaces with the creation of a ginnel or alleyway garden.
You and your team will design the space, select the plants, build your garden and showcase your creation at the Manchester Flower Festival! During this showcase, you will also get to network with visitors, gardeners, and designers as you take the leading role of communicating your creation at the festival.
This project will be supported by Jason Williams – The Cloud Gardner. Jason is a ground-breaking gardener, designer, researcher and advocate for sustainably transforming urban spaces. Jason has recently returned from a tour of cities around the world to explore different approaches to urban environments. The findings of this tour will be explored and presented (with your help!) through globally themed gardens at the Flower Festival.
To build an impactful garden this project needs students from all subjects. We need designers, architects, artists, biologists, experts on place and space, mental health advocates and anything else! All you need is a passion to create a sustainable green space! We would also love to include students from all backgrounds and cultures to bring your own experience, connections and perceptions of urban greenspaces.
After the project, your garden will have a continued life on campus or in the local community. You can experience a garden built by students as part of a similar project from the RHS Urban show right now on in the Brooks Building Balcony. You can also watch this video to discover more about last year’s project.
Please note the Flower Festival is taking place on Friday 23rd to Monday 26th May 2025. You will need to be available for these dates. There will also be several workshops and design sessions leading up to this. These will be confirmed closer to the time. If you aren’t sure about availability during the design process sign up to this event to receive further information.
Associated Badges:
In A Nutshell...
- Discover... the world of small space gardening with the Cloud Gardener
- Design and create ... your own globally themed garden
- Showcase ... your exhibit at the Manchester Flower Festival
- Build connections ... with team members, the public, and potential employers visiting the Flower Festival
- Take ... a leading role in the design and build process and bring your ideas and creations to life.
- Earn up to 300 Rise points ... which can be recognised within your degree.
Schedule
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09/04/25 to 23/05/25
Create your Garden The design process will take place in this time window. Exact dates and times to come, please sign up to find out more -
23/05/25 to 26/05/25 - Manchester Flower Festival
Manchester Flower Festival Exhibit your garden at the Manchester Flower Festival