At RHS Garden Hyde Hall near Chelmsford, Essex, work has started on a Global Growth Vegetable Garden.
The garden, set to open in summer 2017, will challenge perceptions of conventional kitchen gardens and showcase an extraordinarily diverse range of edible plants. From the everyday to the exotic, including edible ornamentals, from yams and chickpeas to lima beans and tomatillos, the Global Growth Vegetable Garden aims to inspire people to grow their own and demonstrate the myriad of edible possibilities that exist.
It’s innovative circular layout will be sectioned into four quarters, representing the continents of Europe & the Middle East, Asia, North & Central America and South America. The centrepiece will be a bespoke 14m (46ft) wide, 7m (23ft) high, octagonal glasshouse manufactured by Hartley Botanic.
Groundworks for the new garden are underway. Soil preparation will start this summer followed by planting of the key structural elements, which includes hedging, trees and shrubs.
It is hoped that the combination of an inspirational setting and an amazing array of produce, will encourage people of all ages to get growing and to experience for themselves the joy of fresh, great-tasting food.
