When Jason Williams decided to turn the balcony of his 18th-floor apartment into an incredible garden, he never dreamed of exhibiting his work at the RHS Flower Show.
Moving into his apartment during lockdown, Jason’s balcony became an escape and a hobby to aid his mental health. From one marigold to an urban oasis, he helped demonstrate how small-space gardening can turn into vibrant places.
Now a multi-award winning garden designer, Jason (AKA The Cloud Gardener) will be at the Tatton Park RHS Flower Show exhibiting his newest project on July 19.
Jason (on Instagram @cloudgardeneruk) will be showcasing a Ginnel Garden, one designed to improve urban biodiversity, be practical, and be accessible for anybody to replicate.
“Gardening means lots of different things to various people. Some people only want flowers, others want to grow food, a variety want weeds, and others pruned," he told the Manchester Evening News.
“I’ll be showcasing elements of how people can have different opinions on gardening, but ultimately, everyone has created something beautiful."
Following the show, the garden will be relocated onto Newlyn Street, in Moss Side - where Jason will spend the next 12 months helping local residents build and maintain the ginnel.
Jason, 36, 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.
“I want this garden to be successful, and for the community to really be able to use it, so I’ve committed to mentoring there to help stability and proper usage of the ginnel garden.”
Win our competition
This year, the RHS and MEN have also teamed up to launch a competition, offering the chance for you to win invitations to the show opening, help transform your ginnel into a vibrant space, and win £1,000.
We are inviting residents, whether individuals, a few households together or community groups, to submit a photo or photographs of the space they want to transform, with up to 500 words and/or a two-minute film on what their plans are for their ginnel, why they believe they should win, and how they plan to maintain it.
The winners would receive an invitation to attend the opening day of RHS Flower Show Tatton Park on 19 July, a design consultation with Jason Williams, a former exhibitor at RHS Tatton Park and RHS Chelsea Flower Show, who will share his expert tips and ideas on how they can transform their ginnel, plus £1,000 in vouchers to spend on plants and materials needed to bring the vision to life.
“This ginnel garden competition is about bringing people together. There are completely different stories behind people’s gardening, which brings that sense of community - who may not have much of a garden and provide a safe space for people,” Jason said.
“I hope that I can give the winner the tools to create the garden and to keep it going throughout the year. We will be on hand to help with the technical side of things, I think it is really beneficial to anybody who applies.”
Entrants will be judged by Jason, the RHS's Tatton Show manager Lex Falleyn and Sarah Lester, the Editor of the MEN. They will also be visited regularly as the ginnel progresses and residents take pride in the upkeep of their garden.
Helena Pettit, Director of Gardens and Shows, said: “We are really thrilled to be partnering with Manchester Evening News on this exciting community gardening competition. “Plants and gardens enrich lives and bring people together. We are delighted that individuals and community groups across the North West have come together and created fantastic ginnel gardens, transforming these often unwelcome, grey spaces into green pockets full of plants.
“There are still hundreds of ginnels that remain unloved and through this competition and the Ginnel Garden at RHS Flower Show Tatton Park hope to inspire more people to bring their ginnels to life through the power of plants and flowers.
“We really look forward to hearing from individuals, community groups or households from across the region on how they plan to transform their ginnel into a green sanctuary.”
To enter, simply contact the email below with your full name, a photograph of the space you want to transform, and up to 500 words/and or a two-minute film on the plans for the ginnel, why you believe you should win, and how you plan to maintain it.
Contact us for a chance to win: mencomps@trinitymirror.com
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
