Last week, our amazing Youth Climate Project group proudly unveiled their work and premiered their brilliant film. This wonderful project has been a three-month collaboration involving participants from:
Silva Care
Brandon Trust
Tuesday and Thursday Gardening Groups
Step and Stone
NEETS - HYPE Project - Bristol Post-16
Over the course of the project, we explored our collective thoughts, feelings and observations about climate change. The group reached a consensus: that the weather is undeniably changing due to climate shifts. From hotter summers to heavier rainfall, these changes are affecting ecosystems around the world.
Motivated to make a tangible impact, we decided to focus on creating a sustainable flowerbed featuring drought-resistant plants, habitats for wildlife and renewable energy.
Promoting Sustainability Through Reuse
In every aspect of the project, we prioritised upcycling and reuse. Some highlights include:
Tin cans repurposed from RCG
Donated wheels from Sully's
Roof tiles from a local roofer
Leftover paint from previous projects
Items reclaimed from skips
Designing for Resilience and Biodiversity
The group incorporated many elements that support biodiversity, including a bug hotel and a nature pond. Repurposed bike wheels were used as bird scarers, shining a light on reusing over buying and the importance of pedal power over fossil fuels. We also installed a windmill and a solar-powered pond pump!
Our Climate Bed aims to encourage visitors to reflect on their behaviours and take steps to lessen their environmental impact.
"The climate is changing, are you?"
We drew inspiration from Landscape Architect Tom Stuart-Smith and his climate-resilient garden showcased at the 2021 Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. With collective research and planning, we selected a variety of plants suited for drought-prone climates.
Planting for the Future
Here’s the thoughtfully curated plant list for our drought-resistant flowerbed:
Rudbeckia sullvantii 'Goldsturm'
Stachys byzantina 'Silver Carpet'
Salvia nemorosa 'Salute Ice Blue'
Nepeta grandiflora 'Summer Magic'
Echinacea Unica 'Cherry on Ice'
Eryngium variifolium 'Miss Marble'
Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Niger'
Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'
Osteospermum jucundum var. 'Compactum'
Echinacea 'Sunseekers White'
Echinacea purpurea
Euphorbia 'Silver Edge'
Astrantia major 'Pink Pride'
Echinacea 'Sweet Sandia'
Kniphofia 'Banana Popsicle'
Agastache foeniculum 'Little Adder'
Sea holly
Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'
Bug Hotel Living Roof Plants
To enhance the bug hotel’s living roof, we included:
Sedum acre
Sedum album
Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'
Sempervivum Chick Charms 'Key Lime Kiss'
Sedum spurium 'Tricolor'
Sedum reflexum (Blue Stonecrop)
We’re incredibly grateful to the Youth Climate Action Fund for supporting this project. We hope to see you visiting our Climate Bed soon! Watch their amazing film below 💚
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