When Jason Williams decided to transform the balcony of his 18th-floor apartment into a stunning garden oasis, little did he imagine that his passion for green spaces would extend to revitalising a ginnel in Moss Side.
Renowned as "The Cloud Gardener," Williams showcased his design prowess by presenting a ginnel garden at the RHS Flower Show 2023 in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and the Manchester Evening News (MEN).
Following the show's conclusion, the garden found its new home on Newlyn Street in Moss Side, where Williams has dedicated the past six months to assisting local residents in constructing and maintaining the ginnel, demonstrating how small-space gardening can flourish and breathe life into urban environments.
READ MORE: New RHS Urban Show set to explore cutting-edge indoor gardening and blooming greener cities
Explaining his choice of location, Jason said: “We chose Newlyn Street because this particular ginnel has more transient members and less permanent residents due to being a student-populated area. Because of this, core gardeners are struggling to maintain it, and I want to help them get this space together.”
Since its installation, the garden has evolved into a hub of community activity, fostering a sense of belonging among residents.
Reflecting on the project's success, Jason said: “Seeing the community come together has been the heart of the garden. When relocating the garden, we needed the right community. If anyone wishes to replicate this, do make sure there is a good support network or start off smaller with little pockets."
He added: "Because there is such a large group who are invested and interested in the garden, it's been a breeze. Gardening, in general, is trial and error, and so is this garden, so we’ve been learning from mistakes and improving as we go.”
Williams will further showcase his innovative approach to urban gardening at the RHS's new Urban Show (18 - 21 April 2024), departing from the conventional outdoor format of RHS shows to take root entirely indoors within the industrial expanse of a former railway at Depot Mayfield.
His exhibit, titled "RHS City Spaces: Cloudscape," challenges horticultural retailers, local authorities, and developers to reimagine their interactions with communities, presenting a vision for greener towns and cities.
Designed through a collaborative process involving students on Manchester Metropolitan University’s Rise programme and Notcutts Garden Centre, the exhibit brings together four balconies each facing north, south, east and west with a maximum budget of £500, a north-facing shaded rented patio, an urban farm and a communal garden.
Williams said that RHS City Spaces: Cloudscape addresses different residents’ needs, microclimates and pay brackets. He added: “The concept as a whole is an ambitious blueprint of how we can bring a city together.
These are not show gardens, they are learning exhibits designed to teach residents, local authorities, retail and developers how we can all improve to make our towns and cities greener.”
Win our competition
This year, the RHS and MEN have teamed up to launch a pub garden competition, where entrants can win the chance to attend the new RHS Urban Show and also win a show-stopping garden for your pub.
We are aware pubs who have outdoor space could do with some TLC to help transform them into a new community hub.
Entrants will need to submit photos of their outdoor area and 250 words on why you would like the pub space transformed, how it would be used and how it would be maintained.
The winners would receive an invitation to attend the opening day of the new RHS Urban Show on 18 April and a pub garden designed by Emma Tipping, a former RHS Young Designer of the Year contender and Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medal Winner.
The garden, which will be planted in transportable planters and containers, would then be delivered to the winning pub after the end of the show. Please note that the winner will receive containers most-suited to their pub garden space.
Lex Falleyn, show manager for RHS Urban Show, said: “We all love a pub garden. But they don’t have to all be concrete squares with a few tattered tables and overflowing ashtrays. They can become spaces where the beauty of gardening inspires, welcomes, and brings us closer together.
“It’s nice to be connected with nature, even deep within the city. We invite Manchester’s pubs to send us their ideas on why they think they should win this garden. No matter how big or small you think your cause is, we want to hear from you. We can’t wait to see all your entries.”
Emma Tipping, the designer of the RHS and MEN Pub Garden, said: “I'm really excited to be designing the MEN pub garden for the RHS Urban show. Pub gardens are about much more than just enjoying a pint on a sunny day, they are key spaces in the community that encourage people to get together, socialise and spend time outdoors.
“They also present a really positive opportunity for greening in urban areas, to create a friendly environment not just for people but for wildlife too. Having a strong sense of connection, to people and to nature, is really important and especially necessary in urban environments, so I love the idea of bringing some more green interest and excitement to a pub garden and can't wait to see the entries.”
The competition closes at midnight on Sunday 31st March 2024 and shortlists will be notified after the closing date.
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