Will Gardening Save The World?
Well, without plants and more planting we are all in trouble.
So IKEA and Tom Dixon are exploring urban farming together. At Chelsea Flower Show 21 – 25 May we will share more.
Food is a crucial part of everyday life. But everyone might not know that the world needs an extra five billion tonnes of food over the next decade to feed our growing population. Including the many more people living in cities. This became the starting point for IKEA and Tom Dixon to explore urban farming together. We asked ourselves if gardening can save the world. Because when we grow our own food, even in small apartments, it has a positive impact on our health and the health of our planet. So for the first step of this project we have worked on a garden for Chelsea Flower Show 21-25 May.
“For IKEA, this collaboration is about challenging the way society looks at growing in general and addressing that it’s both possible and rewarding to have a place to grow your own plants in the city. Food is key to humanity and design can support with better solutions. Because at the end of the day we need people to feel inspired to grow and harvest their own edibles within their homes and communities”, says James Futcher, Creative Leader at IKEA Range and Supply.
The garden which has been given the name “Gardening will Save the World” will feature over 4 000 plants in two levels where visitors can experience the contrast of the hyper-natural and hyper-tech. The base will be a horticultural laboratory where hydroponic technology is implemented, whilst the raised garden will be a botanic oasis with a natural aesthetic for visitors to immerse themselves in.
“As part of the Chelsea Flower Show, we have designed and realised an experimental model for growing plants in the urban environment. Aiming to give back to cities and create productive landscapes within urban zones, the garden includes a raised modular landscape with edible and medicinal plants and an enclosed based garden fuelled by hydroponic systems and controllable lighting.” Tom Dixon says.
The garden will demonstrate how people can contribute to the movement of growing at home, and make a difference to reducing for example food waste, as well as broadcasting the beauty and functional importance of horticulture, through both traditional knowledge and the latest in growing innovation. And to ensure the garden can inspire people also beyond Chelsea Flower Show, it will be donated to charity Participatory City, an innovative practical participation platform, and moved to Barking and Dagenham in East London. It will stay there for at least three years where supporting greening and urban farming projects will be included.
As for the second step of this project, that is all about finding affordable and sustainable solutions to grow plants and vegetables in our homes and urban environments. Some first prototypes of product ideas are developed and the final result will be available globally at IKEA stores in 2021.
Curious to find out which plants we have used in the garden? Here is the plant list!
RAISED
EDIBLES
Nasturtium – Tropaeolum nasturtium ‘Ladybird Rose’
Nasturtium – Tropaeolum nasturtium ‘Velvety Profond’
Angelica – Angelica archangelica
Angelica – Angelica ‘Vicars Mead’
Flat Leaved Parsley – Petroselinum crispum
Red Frills Mustard – Brassica juncea var. crispifolia ‘Rubra’
Tree Spinach – Chenopodium giganteum
Lettuce – Lettuce ‘Merveille des Quatre Saisons’
Red veined Sorrel – Rumex sanguines var. sanguines
Beetroot – Beta vulgaris ‘Bull’s Blood’
Chard (white stem) – Beta vulgaris subsp. Cicla var. flavescens White Silver 2
Chard (red stem) – Beta vulgaris subsp. Cicla var. flavescens Rhubarb Charm
Chinese Cabbage – Brassica rapa subsp. Chinensis
Mitzuna – Brassica rapa subsp. Japonica ‘Mitzuna’
Broad Bean – Broad bean ‘Crimson flowered’
Cabbage Red Drum – Cabbage red drum
Black French Bean – Dwarf bean ‘Purple Teepee’
Kale ‘Cavolo Nero’ – Kale ‘Cavolo Nero’
Kale ‘Redbor’ – Kale ‘Redbor’
Kohlrabi – Kohlrabi ‘Kolibri’ F1 Hydrid
Climbing French Bean – Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Purple Podding Climbing’
Peas – Pisum ‘Green Hurst Shaft’
Peas – Pisum ‘Oskar’
Leek – Allium ampeloprasum
Purple Artichoke – Cynara scolymus ‘Purple Globe’
Sweet Cicely – Myrrhis odorata
Strawberry – Fragaria x ananassa
Wild Strawberry – Fragaria vesca
Bronze Fennel – Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’
Lemon Balm – Melissa officinalis
Mint – Mentha x piperita ‘Chocolate’
Scots Lovage – Lingusticum scoticum
Chives – Allium schoenoprasum
Horseradish – Armoracia rusticana
Elderberry – Sambucus nigra
Chokeberry – Aronia melanocarpa
Barberry – Berberis vulgaris
Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna
Japanese Silverberry – Eleagnus umbellata
Redcurrant – Ribes rubrum
Blueberry – Vaccinium corrembosum
Swedish Blueberry or Bilberry – Vaccinium myrtillus
Lingonberry – Vaccinium vitis-idaea ‘Firesballs’
Lingonberry – Vaccinium vitis-idaea ‘Miss Cherry’
Lingonberry – Vaccinium vitis-idaea ‘Red Pearl’
Medlar – Mespilus germanica
USEFUL
Barley – Hordeum vulgare
Hops – Humulus lupulus
Woad – Isatis tinctoria
Woodbine – Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’
MEDICINAL
Milk Thistle – Silybum marianum
Goats Rue – Galega officinalis
TREES
Curly Birch – Betula pendula var. carelica
Quince – Cydonia oblonga
BASE
FRUITS & VEGETABLES
Strawberry – Fragaria x ananassa ‘Malling Centenary’
Dwarf Cherry Tomatoes – Solanum lycopersicum ‘Patio Plum’
Purple French Bean – Phaseolus vulgaris ‘Purple Teepee’
Black Chili Pepper – Capsicum annum ‘Vampire’
Sweet Pepper – Capsicum annum ‘Yellow Monster’
Affilla Cress – Pisum
Chili Cress – Raphanus
Basil Cress – Ocimum
Borage Cress – Borago
Daikon Cress – Raphanus
Ghoa Cress – Coriandrum
Rock Chives Cress – Allium
Sakura Cress – Raphanus
Scarlet Cress – Amaranthus
Vene Cress – Rumex
Shiso Purple Cress – Perilla
Zorri Cress – Tropaeolum
Red Romaine Lettuce – Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia
Green Romaine Lettuce – Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia
Lollo Ross Lettuce – Latuca sativa ‘Lollo Rossa’
Swiss Chard Rainbow – Beta vulgaris
Curly Kale – Brassica oleracea sabellica
Mavras Pepper – Mavras pepper
Mizuna – Brassica rapa nipposinica
Radicchio – Cichorium intybus var. foliosum
Pak Choi – Brassica rapa var. chinensis
Red Veined Sorrel – Rumex sanguineus
Spinach – Spinacia oleracea
HERBS
Lemon Basil – Ocimum basilicum
Red Ruben Basil – Ocimum basilicum var. purpurascens
MUSHROOM
Reishi – Ganoderma lucidum – MRCA (various)