Climate change garden designed for RHS Tatton

Envirolink Northwest is working with Cheshire-based garden designer Tim Fowler to create a back-to-back garden themed around climate change called 'Futureproof: Waterproof', for the RHS Flower Show Tatton Park next month.

The design will show how a modern garden can be adapted to deal with the more frequent extremes of weather now faced in the UK.

The garden is tiered so that rain water can run off and has raised planters so that if the garden were to experience high rainfall, plants would have a better chance of survival. Integrated irrigation systems help plants to cope better in periods of drought. The recycled products, materials and low carbon technologies used in the garden will contribute to the overall low carbon theme, for example recycled compost has excellent water retention properties compared to standard peat-based compost.

All products have been sourced from local suppliers in the North West region, reducing the carbon footprint of the garden even further and making the garden a regional demonstration of innovative and modern design. The garden provides an example of how easy it is to incorporate these greener products into any garden, landscape or building scheme.

Nicola Ball, head of market development at Envirolink Northwest, said: "Following on from our Silver Gilt Medal success at last year's RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Envirolink Northwest has decided to do it again this year. It gives us the perfect platform from which to demonstrate how low carbon technologies and materials can easily and cost-effectively be used in a garden setting. We are keen to promote the strong and successful suppliers we have in the region and we are delighted that so many of these esteemed companies have contributed to the garden."

Tim Fowler, RHS Tatton gold medal winner in 2009, said: "I really hope that people coming to Tatton will be inspired to create their own low carbon garden that will be adapted to cope with extremes of weather that are now becoming ever more frequent."

• The RHS Flower Show Tatton Park takes place from 20-24 July 2011. The Envirolink Northwest 'Futureproof: Waterproof' garden can be found at location B75. To find out more or to purchase tickets please visit the RHS website – www.rhs.org.uk or call 0844 338 7505.